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Flooding & Insurance

While flood cover is a standard feature of home insurance, nothing is without caveats. It's prudent to double check what your policy contains (and doesn't) before buying.

Standard Home & Contents insurance & flooding

There are relatively few residential homes in the UK that will find it hard to secure insurance against flooding. After all, one of the most common claims on household insurance is the result of a release of water. 

In the event of any flood, if you are the homeowner, you should make contact with your home insurance provider as soon as any damage has occurred. You must then work with the insurance company and their agents, through the process of recovery.

The process of managing any flood related claim depends on the policy that you hold and the company you are insured with. Common to almost all insurers, however, is the need for them to take charge after the flood. Allowing professionals to guide the process of recovery and repair is very important so as to avoid dispute. 

Flood Protection & Defence - Homeowner Help & Info - PCA

When insurance problems are encountered with flooding

Where problems are encountered is where buildings are known to be at a significant risk of flooding from rivers, the sea, groundwater or surface water. In circumstances where the frequency and severity of flooding is anticipated to be high, insurance providers may increase the cost of insurance or in some circumstances simply refuse to provide insurance. 
 
This can be a very difficult situation for business or indeed relatively newly built houses.  If however your house was built before 2009, a scheme aimed at ensuring affordable flood insurance called ‘FloodRe’ is available. 

What exactly is FloodRe? Can it help me get insurance?

FloodRe is a joint initiative between the government and insurers. Its aim is to make the flood cover part of household insurance more affordable by giving insurers the confidence and support they require to deliver flood risk cover. 

Properties eligible for protection under Flood Re

  • Properties located on the UK mainland.
  • Properties that have a Council Tax band A to H.
  • Properties were built before 1st January 2009.
  • Properties that are used for residential purposes.
  • Leasehold flats with three or less units

Can FloodRe help me?

To find out if FloodRe can help you, click on the button below to visit their site and to use their ‘FloodRe Tool’ to find out.

Find out more >> 

How FloodRe works

Properties are seeded to FloodRe by the principal insurance provider. This is done in the background by your insurer so most people should never need to contact FloodRe directly. 
Grants and funding may be available to the victims of flooding. They are aimed at introducing measures that help improve the future flood resilience of your home. 

Build back better after a flood

Building repairs are almost always needed following a flood and so this can be a very opportune time to construct a plan and deliver measures that will improve the flood resilience of your home. Information about such measures and grant funding to help pay for improved flood protection may be available from the Environment Agency, Local Council or your insurance provider. 

Find specialists that can help

Flooding is a terrible thing, and there will be pain to come with both repairs and the insurance.  However, if you do want a little bit of help and guidance from a flood related expert local to you, you can always use the 'find a specialist' search tool below.  Simply put in your postcode and select flood protection/restoration for local experts near you.

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