The Insurance Council of Australia (ICA) and the Richmond River County Council (RRCC) in northern NSW are working to overcome a standoff over the provision of flood data, following huge increases in residents’ insurance premiums.

The RRCC is responsible for flood mitigation and floodplain management for the Ballina, Lismore and Richmond Valley councils.

The Northern Star newspaper says one resident’s flood cover premiums increased from $21.80 to $14,584 in two years, despite her home being in no flood danger.

RRCC Floodplain Services Manager Michael Wood says he is aware of similar cases involving homes outside at-risk areas.

He says flood mapping available on the RRCC’s website makes it clear these residents are not exposed to flood danger, but ICA says the information is inadequate for insurers’ needs.

It says the data is “appropriate” for helping residents understand risk levels, but “underwriters require considerably more detail to assess risk for individual addresses”.

A spokesman told insuranceNEWS.com.au ICA is working with the RRCC to obtain the “detailed digital data” insurers require to price flood risks.

Mr Wood insists the RRCC has previously provided ICA with that information.

“They’re just not using it,” he said.

However, it will now provide ICA with a data licence to access all information.

Data from the RRCC site will be fed into ICA’s National Flood Information Database, which co-ordinates flood data from state and local governments and makes it available to insurance companies.

Mr Wood has also been in talks with ICA GM Policy Risk & Disaster Karl Sullivan about resolving the impasse.

“At least we have dialogue,” he said.