Insurance for property in an area liable to flooding
If you are one of the estimated 5 million homeowners living in areas of the UK that are considered to be at risk of flooding, then you are likely to be aware of the implications that living in a flood-risk area can have for home insurance, either buildings or contents or both.
If you have lived through the trauma of having your home previously flooded, or if you are living in a flood plain area that has fortunately so far escaped being flooded, then UK insurance companies will take these aspects into account when underwriting your insurance premium.
In the unfortunate circumstance you have to make a claim for flood damage, your insurer will pay out to repair or rebuild your home and to replace destroyed possessions covered by your high flood risk home insurance.
Who needs flood risk home insurance?
Depending upon your geographical area, including whether you live close to a river, estuary or other area that might be susceptible to flooding, to some extent most insurers rely upon the Environment Agency flood plain warnings summary to give them an understanding of the potential threat of your house or property being flooded.
If you have not previously visited the Environment Agency website that has been created to help people who live or work in flood-risk areas, you will find that it provides a range of information in respect of sea and river levels in your area, how you can prepare for flooding and who to contact for help if you are unlucky enough to be caught out by a flood.
What does flood risk home insurance cover?
Your cover is entirely dependant on your personal requirements. Additionally, different insurers will be able to offer varying types of cover. Common types of cover include:
Flood cover with contents insurance
Flood cover on a contents insurance policy will often include repairs or restoration for your household items. This can often include:
- Electrical items
- Furniture
- White goods
- Children's toys
Flood cover with buildings insurance
Another common type of cover is flood cover with buildings insurance. This can often include:
- Drying out a property
- Structural repairs and restoration
- Legal fees
- Property surveyors fees
- Removal of debris
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know if I'm at risk of flooding?
We recommend seeking professional advice, however, the below websites can let you know if your home is at risk of flooding:
Do I need flood insurance for my business?
If you’re looking at flood insurance for your business, you can visit our flood risk business insurance page.
How do I make a claim?
In the unfortunate event that you need to make a claim, your best course of action is to:
- Letting your flood risk home insurance company known of the incident
- Gathering evidence such as taking photos
- Getting professional reports on the damage
- Leave everything as it is, because your insurer needs to agree to pay for any repairs you make before they’re made
Enquire through us for flood risk home insurance
If you have tried other ways of obtaining insurance quotes for a property that is at risk of flooding and not been successful so far, or if you have received your insurance renewal and it has increased significantly, then you are welcome to enquire through QuoteRack for your flood-risk property insurance quote.
The following documents have been prepared by the Environment Agency and by the Association of British Insurers - you may find them helpful when considering the potential risks to your business premises of a flood, as well as how to limit the damage a flood can do to your business.
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"QuoteRack offers you the opportunity to submit details of your household buildings and/or contents insurance requirements to insurance brokers who have a particular knowledge of insuring properties that are at-risk of flooding."
"To submit your details online, click the 'Get a Quote' button to enter your details for flood risk home insurance quotes."