UK Prime Minister David Cameron has promised flood victims his government will pressure insurers to settle claims and provide compensation.

He made the pledge in the UK Parliament last week in response to a question from a Welsh MP whose constituency had been devastated by floods.

“In all these situations there is clearly the rescue and emergency part of it, then there’s the recovery phase,” he said.

“I think in many ways the most difficult phase to get right is when people are going back into soaked homes and making sure they get swift action in terms of help from their district council, but above all from the insurance companies.

“I certainly will work… to make sure that happens in this case.”

The UK has been battered by strong winds and heavy rain with serious flooding in southern England and Wales during most of June.

The Association of British Insurers was unable to give insuranceNEWS.com.au an overall figure for claims as the situation was changing too quickly with new areas being hit almost every day.

It says the average flood claim is expected to be £20,000-£40,000 ($31,000-$62,100).

With damaging storms becoming more frequent, insurers are talking about raising premiums to maintain solvency ratios.

UK researcher SearchFlow estimates a major coastal flood in the Humber region along Britain’s east coast could cost insurers £266 million ($413 million), but this would rise to £1.4 billion ($2.17 billion) by 2040 if coastal sea defences are not improved.