What do insurance and water resilience have in common? More than many people may think.
The Water Europe Expert Group on Water & Finance, chaired by Magdalena Rzeczkowska, held a discussion on the growing connection between climate risks, water resilience and insurability.
The meeting featured insights from Vylon Ooms, representing the Dutch Association of Insurers, who shared perspectives on how the insurance sector increasingly views climate adaptation as a critical factor in managing future risks.
The discussion underlined that climate-related losses are increasing across Europe, leading to higher insurance costs and a widening protection gap. Participants stressed that insurance should not be considered an alternative to prevention, but rather part of a broader resilience framework that combines risk reduction, adaptation measures, effective recovery mechanisms and insurance coverage.
Several key messages emerged from the exchange. Risk-based pricing, mortgage lending and property valuation are becoming important signals that influence where and how we build and invest. At the same time, better information, early warning systems, climate adaptation advice and the “Build Back Better” approach can help reduce future losses and strengthen long-term resilience.
The discussion also highlighted the need for sustained public and private investment in water infrastructure, climate adaptation and nature-based solutions. Such investments will be essential to keep communities, assets and infrastructure resilient and insurable in the face of growing climate pressures.
For Water Europe, the exchange reinforced a clear message: water resilience is not only an environmental challenge. It is increasingly a financial, economic and societal necessity.
As Europe moves forward with the implementation of its Water Resilience Strategy, closer cooperation between the water sector, financial institutions and insurers will be essential to translate resilience ambitions into tangible action. A resilient Europe requires insurable communities, investable infrastructure and water-smart decision-making.
