The Insurance Council of Australia (ICA) has started reviewing NSW local government hazard information to improve a national database it has developed.

The Data Globe project collates information on risks including flood, bushfire, earthquake, storm surge and cyclone at the individual property level.

“More information on natural hazards contributes directly to understanding risks and managing insurance affordability,” ICA CEO Rob Whelan said.

Workshops will be held in Sydney next month, focusing on local government areas within the Illawarra, Richmond-Tweed, and Hunter and Central Coast regions. They will identify areas where hazard data is poor or lacks detail and set out plans for improvement. This could include accessing more recent information or involve local governments pursuing new studies or mapping.

“The Data Globe has allowed us to take a bit more of a holistic view of where the gaps are,”

GM Policy, Risk and Disaster Planning Karl Sullivan told insuranceNEWS.com.au.

The Data Globe is already providing information for the National Flood Information Database and is expected to drive development of more innovative insurance products.

Lack of consistent, readily available flood mapping was highlighted in inquiries following floods in 2011.