Three years after storm flood, Per is still waiting for a ministerial promise: ‘This is crap’
The former minister of business promised that the compensation scheme for the storm flood would cover more people. Three years after the storm flood, nothing has happened.
Per Matthiesen owns the cinema in Aabenraa. He had to pay for the damages after the 2023 storm flood himself. (Photo: © Viktor Houmann, Private photo, DR) 9 minutes ago
It was a soaking wet drama that played out in the cinema in Aabenraa three years ago. During the worst storm flood in over 100 years, cinema hall 2 in Kinorama was flooded with water.
The storm flood in October 2023 caused total damages of more than one billion kroner. But a large number of citizens could not get compensation afterwards.
And that prompted the former minister of business, Morten Bødskov (S), to say in April 2024: “the government is ready to look at how we can change the scheme so that it can also cover more people.”
But two and a half years later, the storm flood scheme still has not changed.
- This is really crap. We are looking at more storm floods in the future, says Per Matthiesen, owner of Kinorama in Aabenraa.
He had to pay more than 600,000 kroner himself for renovation and lost ticket revenue after his cinema hall was flooded.
* In Kinorama in Aabenraa, the hall sat underwater during the 2023 storm flood. (Photo: © Private photo)
* In Kinorama in Aabenraa, the hall sat underwater during the 2023 storm flood. (Photo: © Private photo)
1 / 2 In Kinorama in Aabenraa, the hall sat underwater during the 2023 storm flood. (Photo: © Private photo) 1 / 2 In Kinorama in Aabenraa, the hall sat underwater during the 2023 storm flood. (Photo: © Private photo) 2 / 2
He was denied compensation for the damages because the water came up from the sewer and not in from street level. Damages that occur due to sewer water backflow are not covered by the storm flood scheme.
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Criticism from the insurance industry
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Two out of five who reported damages to the Natural Damage Council in connection with the storm flood ended up being denied compensation.
The fact that the scheme has not yet been changed meets criticism from the insurance industry.
They especially hope that the criterion for when one can receive compensation will be lowered.
But with climate change, events can be almost as severe without being categorised as a 20-year event, says the industry organisation Insurance and Pension.
- If we still want it to cover catastrophes, then we are forced to change the coverage criterion so that the catastrophes that happen in the future are also covered. They are not today, says Thomas Brenøe, director of regulation and consumer affairs at Insurance and Pension.
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‘Will have clarity soon’
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It is not certain that consequential damages like sewer water will be covered by a new storm flood scheme.
But the cinema owner Per Matthiesen hopes so.
Over the weekend, there was a warning of elevated water levels in Aabenraa, and that set off alarm bells for him.
- I lay awake most of the night. I thought it might happen again, and then I would have a problem.
The water, however, did not come close to the 2023 storm flood. But if a new storm flood comes and Per gets the same damages, it will affect the cinema.
- Then I will close hall 2. It will not run again, he says.
During the storm flood in October 2023, a large number of summer houses were flooded. This is from the east coast in southern Jutland.
Morten Bødskov (S) is no longer minister of business. In June, he instead became minister of immigration and integration.
The current minister of business, Martin Lidegaard (R), does not agree to an interview. In a written response, he writes that work is still being done on the matter.
- The storm flood scheme is ready if anyone is hit by a storm flood tomorrow, but at the same time we are looking at what the future storm flood scheme should look like.
- I expect that we will have clarity soon. The most important thing is not to create a quick patch, but a scheme that can actually hold up, he writes.
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