Emergency drill... follow the action plan to deal with the risk of a deluge

1 CHECK your home insurance. Owners of flood-prone properties may not always have improvements taken into account when premiums are calculated, but they should still get a better deal than before.

The launch of Flood Re last April – a joint Government and industry initiative – means the cost of the flood element of home insurance (both the premium and excess) is now capped at more affordable levels for plans sold by insurers signed up to the scheme.

It gives access to flood insurance to homeowners who could not get cover previously (but excludes homes built after 2009 and privately rented flats). Aviva says new customers in highrisk areas save an average of £500 a year on their premiums.

It is possible to switch a home insurance policy midterm and make savings.

There may be an administration charge of up to £50 but an insurer will refund the remaining premium pro rata, so long as no claims have been made. To check out the latest deals, try a comparison website or go to the British Insurance Brokers’ Association at biba. org.uk. 2 CONSIDER acquiring floodresistant products such as airbrick covers or barriers. Store them in an accessible place. 3 THINK about installing permanent safeguarding measures such as nonreturn valves which stop waste water backing up into a home, see above. 4 INVESTIGATE measures to reduce the impact of a flood. These include raising kitchen units on legs or replacing them with plastic, steel or solid wood units.

Place white goods on raised plinths and replace timber floors with solid ones covered with tiles.

Fit water-resistant doors and window frames and use water-resilient plaster or lay plasterboard horizontally so only the bottom strip would need replacing.

Find out more information at nationalfloodforum.org.uk or rics.org run by the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors.