Insurance firms will be able to respond to consumer claims after natural disasters more swiftly in the future, after the industry announced new protocols that cover the issue.

The new agreement is between the insurance industry, police, fire and rescue services, and local authorities and should mean claims are dealt with as quickly as possible after incidents like this summer's flooding.

Under the new protocols, the Association of British Insurers (ABI) will be notified about the scale of damage caused by the disaster by the body responsible for co-ordinating responses to major incidents - the Strategic Coordinating Group.

The ABI will then be able to pass this information on to insurance firms so they can immediately gain access to the scene to help policyholders.

Nick Starling, the ABI's director of general insurance and health, explained: "A planned and speedy response is vital in the aftermath of a major incident.

"This agreement reflects the vital role insurers play in the recovery process.

"Public safety and preserving evidence is the priority, but the sooner insurers can safely assess the damage the sooner they can help their policyholders."

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