Flood Damage – How to make sure your home insurance claim is successful

In the last few days, the south of England has been hit by torrential rain, leading to severe flood damage across the region. London in particular has been hit hard by the floods, with several roads and tube stations completely flooded over the weekend.

According to personal finance experts at money.co.uk, if your home has been damaged in the floods 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: “”If your home has been hit by flood damage 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.

“Take photos and videos of the damage and note down the time it happened so the insurer can tally this up with weather reports. When you make your claim, submit ‘before’ photos and videos, if you have them, proving the state of your property before the flood hit.

“It’s the buildings insurance part of your policy that will pay out for structural damage so check your policy to make sure you have the right sort of coverage. If you’re a homeowner who has contents-only cover, the damaged items in the home should be covered but any damage to the property itself may not be included.

“If you’re a tenant, speak to your landlord who will need to make a claim on their insurance or cover the cost. Most home insurance policies offer little in the way of cover for property outside your home, such as the garden or driveway, although it’s always worth checking your documents and speaking to your provider.”