moneysupermarket.com: Floods sweeping the country

Commenting on the floods sweeping the country, Richard Mason, director of insurance at moneysupermarket.com, said: “We saw the effect on Yorkshire two weeks ago, now flood warnings have been extended across England and Wales, with the worst rain set to hit the likes of Yorkshire, Lincolnshire and North Devon.

“I strongly re–iterate my sentiments made recently, highlighting the need for homeowners living in flood risk areas to be more rigorous than others when it comes to insurance. Therefore checking the exact details of what their buildings and contents policies cover as well as the limits and excesses on both. My advice to those living in flood risk areas, is to get a policy from a well known brand name such as Norwich Union or Halifax sooner rather than later, as these insurers are less likely to withdraw cover if your situation deteriorates.

“If you are unfortunate enough to have been hit by recent flooding, you may need to claim on both your home contents and buildings policy. Fixtures such as fireplaces and electric lights, which you may have thought would be covered under a buildings policy, will usually fall under home contents. Also be sure to take expensive portable items upstairs or somewhere else dry. Your insurer will expect you to minimise your claim in this way.

"In some cases, if the potential claim on one or other policy is small, it may be more sensible not to claim against it. Not claiming may be wiser for two reasons: firstly the excess may be not worth paying; secondly the claim may result in a large increase in your premiums.”