Does your HOME INSURANCE cover you for FLOODING?
Flooding is on the increase in the UK and, with it, the numbers of people incurring damage to their properties and belongings. We look at the details you need to check in your home insurance policy, including exclusions to watch out for
According to Met Office figures, the UK is now 9% wetter than it was in the 1960s, while extreme weather is four times more likely than it was 50 years ago*. These factors have lead to an increase in floods caused by heavy rainfall, overflowing rivers and storm surges in coastal areas. Flooding can cause devastating damage to property and possessions, incurring repair costs that can easily run into tens of thousands of pounds.
‘Flood insurance is a standard feature of most home insurance policies but cover does vary, so it’s important to read the policy carefully before you buy to check that it meets your needs,’ says David Mcdermottroe, home insurance expert at Moneysupermarket. ‘It should provide cover for costs resulting from water damage caused by natural causes, such as heavy rain or overflowing rivers.’
TYPES OF FLOOD
Heavy rain can cause two types of flooding – and you don’t need to live near a river or the sea to be affected. Surface water or flash flooding is when heavy rain overwhelms drains and sewers causing disruption, often to roads.
Groundwater flooding is when the soil soaks up the water and saturates the rock beneath, creating what’s known as a ‘water table’. Heavy rain causes this water table to rise and prevents sewers and drainage systems from functioning properly. This means that water may rise up through floors, cellars or basements – not just through drains.
A fluvial, or river flood, occurs when a river, lake or stream rises and overflows on to neighbouring land. Coastal flooding occurs when dry and low-lying land is submerged by seawater.
POLICY EXCLUSIONS
‘It’s not always clear with some policies whether groundwater flooding is covered,’ says Helen Phipps, home insurance comparison expert at Compare the
Market. ‘If you think you’re in a high-risk area you should check with your provider.’
As well as groundwater flooding, some home insurance policies have other exclusions. For example, your insurance might not cover the cost of alternative accommodation while your home is being repaired, or flood damage to fences, hedges and gates. ‘If you live in a high-risk area you should make sure your policy covers the cost of any restoration and repairs to contents and homes in the event of a flood,’ says Mcdermottroe. ‘The cheapest policy may not provide the right level of cover for what you need, so compare policies by the level and amount of cover they offer, the minimum excess you’ll have to pay, including any extras or inclusions, customer service ranking and the price to make sure you’re getting the right policy for your circumstances.’
Remember, if you live in rented accommodation or own a leasehold flat, it’s your landlord’s responsibility to insure the building, not yours, although you will need contents-only cover for possessions.
HOW TO CLAIM ON HOME INSURANCE
Take photos of your home when you buy home insurance, and store these online. A ‘before’ photo or video will help support any claim for flood damage later. A claim on a buildings insurance policy for flood damage should pay to remove debris, dry out the property, repair the building’s structure, fixtures and fittings, and also cover the cost of legal expenses, property surveyors and architects.
If you just have contents cover, this should cover repairs to, or replacement of, furniture, clothes and electrical items.
If you’re in a flood-risk area, you can find lower-cost home insurance through Flood Re (floodre.co.uk), a joint initiative between the Government and insurers, which aims to make flood cover more affordable. Its online tool shows if your property qualifies for Flood Re and lists insurers signed up to the scheme.