Flooding and adverse weather have affected much of the UK in recent months, submerging homes and devastating towns and villages along the way.
Although weather warnings give a heads-up when heavy rainfall is expected, they cannot prepare you for the aftermath.
If you are hit by flooding and your property is damaged, flood insurance will compensate damage costs and ensure that you arent left out of pocket. Flood insurance is available in all shapes and sizes, so dont let the cheapest deal lure you in; speak to a professional insurance broker for expert opinion and guidance.
Another thing you can do if youre at risk of flooding – as recommended by the Environment Agency – is create a response plan. By taking precautionary measures and following simple best practices youll not only save money and time, youll protect your homes contents too.
When taking out flood insurance the key thing to remember is risk; which specific areas of your property are at risk, how location could be a factor, and how quickly you could recover if the worst did happen.
You can take every precaution to limit the damage caused by floodwater, but its important to never assume that youre completely flood-proof. Almost 8,000 residential properties were affected by floods in 2012 and the Environment Agency issued a record 1,000 flood warnings throughout November and December. The AA responded to more than 8,000 calls from motorists, six times higher than in 2011, and 16 times more in the south-west. The cost of the clean-up is in billions.
If your residential property is close to estuaries, riverbanks or sewers, it will be extremely vulnerable to high groundwater levels and you may therefore need certain terms including in your policy.
For more information on protecting your home from flooding, and to find out more about the types of cover we provide, contact us today.
