River at the bottom of my garden ~ Home Insurance help please

bedhair

Hi all,
We purchased our property last year and have just received our contents and buildings insurance renewal figure from Nationwide (our mortgage providers) £887.41
We have two parts to our land, a meadow and a garden. The garden is raised 4 feet higher than the meadow and never floods. The meadow is 3 feet higher than the river and floods every year. The river has flood gates in place to control the flooding.
We have no out buildings on the meadow so the flooding causes no problems to us, but when phoning for prices of cover, most companies say they will not ensure due to annual flooding.
Does anyone know of an insurance company that will consider us? Failing this, we will stick with Nationwide but just trying to reduce the premiums.

The house is situated 80m from the river and is approximately 9 feet above the river.

Thanks in advance.

huckster

I don't know your sum Insured requirements, but you could try NFU Mutual, Hiscox, Towergate brokers.

You will probably need individual consideration with an Environment Agency report on the specific location.

I live near a brook and have cover with the Halifax. Some Insurers won't quote, because in a freak event about 15 years ago, a few garages were flooded when the brook overflowed. The affected properties are situated nearer a shallower part to the brook and since that time works have been done to the bank of the brook.

G_M

Go to a broker.

RuthnJasper

I live next door to a small river and had my insurance cancelled by the Post Office when they changed their rules regarding proximity to watercourses. I was able to get insurance with no problems with Direct Line, giving them full details about the little river. They were fine about the water and really helpful.

As one other poster has suggested, you could always try NFU Mutual - they specialise in rural and agricultural cover (I work in Countryside Services and we use them).

Good luck to you - hope you find cover with which you're happy without too much hassle. x

cartlynne

I have been trying for nearly 3 weeks to get home insurance for my property as I "flooded" in July 2007. I do not live near a river or on a water course but because of the freak weather conditions on the 20th July 2007, 9 properties including mine were flooded as a result of highway drains unable to deal with the deluge of water. NOW...As far as insurance companies are concerned we have been tarred with the same brush as if our houses were built in the middle of a river.
So far the only insurance I have been offered is £861.00 per year excluding flood cover!
AIG (now Chartis) had a legal obligation to cover me, however, the way out for them was to withdraw from the housing market. subsequently as of Wednesday I have no houshold insurance as no-one will offer me anything with the exception of the one mentioned above.
I have phoned my broker and 2 others but because of the claim made their criteria has every bell and alarm ringing when you say you have claimed in the last 5 years for flood.

If anyone has any idea where I can get decent insurance and not be ripped off I would be so grateful as I am at the end of my tether and work are really getting the hump with me for spending so much time taking phone calls to sort this out only to end up with the same result of NO INSURANCE!!
regards
Lynne:(

bedhair

Thanks for the advice.
I managed to get insurance from a broker and am now insured by a sister company for AXA for a premium of £565.:T
Goes to show what you can save if you shop around. :money:
Hope this gives others hope

Bedhair

cartlynne

Just for info, After many weeks of trying and being in tears at every phone call that was basically to reject my application I have at last managed to get insurance through the Co-Op at £395 per year, with flood cover and £150 voluntary excess!
I have recommended them to my neighbour who also flooded, who was paying £1.300.00 with SAGA and she has just paid £295.00 for the year with Co-Op!
Give the Co-Op a go they are really comming up trumps at the moment, certainly for people like me and my neighbours who are being robbed by insurance companies.

ticktockhouse

I have the River Arun at the bottom of my garden, and as I did last year, I've gone to Tesco, who don't ask the crucial question about proximity to a river or watercourse. I got a quote of £391.63.

I spoke to a broker at Masterquote, and the best he could do was ~£900 (!), whereas for comparison, the Co-op was around £550.

I didn't bother going to the price comparison sites, as from experience, all the companies they contact ask the river or watercourse question.

InsideInsurance

Check carefully on your papers that it isnt an assumption that you've agreed to that it isnt by a water course or other related flood question with Tesco

Certainly on their website at the moment you have to agree to their criteria which includes:

It's never been flooded, isn't subject to any existing flood warning, and it isn't in an area at risk of flooding

Given part of the property does flood annually I would question your eligability