It doesn't rain

According to an AP report out today from the AA's Insurance wing, the summer floods will have a serious impact upon premiums,

"The group said six months of weather related claims had finally taken their toll on home insurance premiums, with the floods in Yorkshire and the South Midlands costing the industry an estimated £3 billion.
The average cost of home buildings insurance rose by 3% to £215.51 during the three months to the end of September, the largest single increase since the group launched its index in 1994.
At the same time, home contents premiums increased by an average of 2% during the quarter to around £149.99.
John Close, insurer relations director at AA Insurance, said: "We now see the result of that devastation reflected in premiums as insurers meet the cost of drying out and repairing homes as well as temporary re-housing of families while their homes were made habitable once again".

They went on to say that the cost is estimated in insurance claims alone, to be £3 billion.

Strike one against the homeowner. Local councils then had to operate the clean up, and due to the EU's Landfill Directive they are raising a tax on the thousands of tons of rubbish that has had to be shovelled up.
As a result of flooding in Hull, 8,160 tonnes of 'flood damaged bulky item waste' was put into landfill. As it was deemed 'contaminated' it was unsuitable for reuse in any way.
The standard rate of tax is £24 per tonne, so we might assume taxation costs of £195,840.
The council has also pointed out that they also had heavy staffing costs.

The Government did, indeed offer assistance to councils, but the £14 million pledged across the country is a sticking plaster on a £ 3 billion sucking chest wound.
Thus water bills and council taxes will have to rise to cover the costs.
Strike two against the homeowner

And to grind peoples faces further in the mud we have this wheeze.

"PEOPLE who went to extraordinary lengths to help their communities during the summer floods are to be honoured with an official Government reception...
Prime Minister Gordon Brown expressed his support, saying: "I want to recognise and pay tribute to the magnificent people who helped their communities in response to the unprecedented floods earlier this year.
"I am proud to support this initiative to recognise our local flood heroes – people who inspire us all and who are among the thousands of Britain's everyday heroes."

So they will throw a cheese and wine party, while raking back hundreds of thousands of pounds in tax, due to a misapplied Euro Directive.

Out.