BIG RISK OF FLOODING THIS WINTER

Households have been urged to prepare for the risk of flooding after the Met office predicted a wetter than normal winter.

According to personal finance experts at money.co.uk, if you’re affected by flood or storm damage and you want to make a claim on your home insurance policy, there are several steps you must take immediately, in order to make sure your claim is successful.

Salman Haqqi, personal finance expert at money.co.uk, said: “This warning is a timely reminder to check your home insurance policy. It’s essential you make sure you’re covered for flood and storm damage.

“While most policies cover some level of flood damage as standard, you may need to seek specialist flood insurance if you want to be suitably covered.

“This is especially true if you live in an area that has been hit by floods before, so make sure to check out https://www.money.co.uk/home-insurance/flood-insurance.htm to compare the latest flood cover deals.

“If you know there’s a serious storm on the way in your area, there are several practical steps you can take to make sure any potential claim is successful. Firstly, it’s a good idea to take some pictures of your home as it is now, just in case you need the evidence if you make a claim.

“When you’re claiming for storm or flood damage on your home insurance, submitting a ‘before’ photo or video will help support your claim, as it’s proof of the state of your property before the damage hits.

“If your home is hit by flood damage in the next week, you should speak to your insurer as soon as possible. They may need you to take emergency steps to minimise the impact of the water, until they can process your claim and sort proper repairs.

“Remember, if you’re in rented accommodation, it’s your landlord’s responsibility to insure the building, not yours. So if you do suffer damage to your home thanks to the upcoming Storm Fleur, speak to them before making any kind of claim of your own.

“If you’re a homeowner who has contents-only cover, it’s worth remembering that damage to items in your home should be covered by your home insurance policy, but any damage to the property itself may not be included.”