Could Home Insurance Prevent Flood Damage?

Could home insurance prevent flood damage?

You don’t have to turn the clock back too far to know all about the devastating effects of flooding.

In 2007, home insurance companies were forced to dish out some £3billion to resolve flood-related claims after the UK was rocked by a series of storms. With the summer starting bright in the UK once again, there are warnings that more flash flooding could follow as temperatures rise and storms occur.

For those in flood-risk areas, home insurance has always been a saving grace – something that provides peace of mind that if the worst does happen, it will be there to help. However, now the British Insurance Brokers’ Association (BIBA) wants home insurance to go one step further and help prevent damage from future flooding.

How home insurance for flooding could change

The BIBA has called on the UK Government to address what it deems four key issues that are missing from its Flood and Water Management Bill. The bill has been designed to make managing the risk of flood and coastal erosion simpler.

One of the first issues is social housing. BIBA wants the Government to include a requirement that local authorities will provide low cost insurance for local authority households. In addition, it wants an awareness campaign so that householders can find out where they can find insurance for flood-risk properties with signposting on the Environment Agency website and elsewhere. Thirdly it wants the Government to review and update the guidance on floods for all; including what to do before, during and after a flood.

Perhaps most crucially however, the BIBA wants ‘resilient repair’ to be introduced. Currently, home insurers return a property to its previous state of repair following a flood. However, if the building regulations included a requirement for resilient repair then insurers would have to repair a property to such a standard that future floods would cause less damage, and be quicker and less costly to repair. This would include taking action such as moving electrical sockets higher up the walls.

In addition, the BIBA has expressed its dissatisfaction with the suggestion that the individual should be responsible for a new statutory nuisance for failure to maintain the flow of water through water courses. It believes that if it’s not the property owners’ fault, then the property owner should not be liable.

Where to find home insurance for flood risk properties

If you want home insurance for your property then the best thing to do is to compare as many policies as you can to find not only the cheapest deal for your needs but also the right level of cover. This can be done using a comparison website.

However, if you live in a flood-risk zone then you may find that many traditional home insurers will not offer quotes, deeming you to be too high a risk. In this case you may need to contact a specialist insurer. The Environmental Agency should be able to point you in the right direction - use its flood maps to see if you’re in a flood risk zone.

How to avoid a home insurance claim for flooding

Regardless of how home insurance may be able to help, it’s much better to avoid a claim as this will help you build up a no-claims discount and keep your premiums low.

While you can’t prevent the flood occurring, you can limit the damage it causes. One step is to invest in temporary flood protection equipment. This can be put in place as soon as you get a flood warning - all you have to do is follow the manufacturer’s instructions.

For example, plastic covers on airbricks can prevent water seeping in. Your local council may provide sandbags during floods and you can also buy your own to place around your property. Flood boards fix to frames around windows and doors, and can be washed, stored and used again.

There are steps you can take to further protect your property although they are likely to cost more. For example, you could position electrical sockets to 1.5metres above ground level; use lime plaster instead of gypsum on walls; and lay ceramic tiles on your ground floor and use rugs instead of carpets.

Devise a flood plan too so you’re well prepared for when bad weather strikes. This should include turning off your gas, electricity and water mains; preparing a flood kit of essential items including insurance documents, a torch with spare batteries, warm, waterproof clothing, bottled water and non-perishable foods. Know who to contact and how as there may be evacuation centers available and check your home insurance cover to confirm you have protection against flooding.