house insurance after claim for flood

barneysmum1234

We were flooded 4 years ago because of heavy rain and the drains not being able to cope with the volume, moneysupermarket quoted us with Kwikfit being the cheapest but compare the market wouldnt quote any, when I spoke to Kwik fit they said no they couldnt insure us after all. Churchill who we are with have put the insurance up £70 this year, and are charging us double what we would pay in normal circumstances. Is there anybody else worth trying,

dacouch

Speak to a local broker (Not Swintons), they will be familiar with the local flash flood and will normally know what measures have been taken to prevent future flash floods eg drain cleaning and know insurers who will be happy to cover them.

Note Insurers often class a flash flood such as yours differently to a river flood as they normally mean the council pull their finger out and clear the local drains and ditches etc and they are generally fairly unlikely to return. The local broker will have dealt with other local people in the same position as you so will have gone though the process before and will normally know what measures the council have taken

cartlynne

I was also flooded in the July 2007 floods due to Highway drains not being able to cope with the capacity. I am 2 miles away from a river which nis at the bottom of the hill. I was with AIG insurance at that time and I am lead to believe that the insurers that paid out on the claims have a legal obligation to cover us for at least 5 years (this gets you past the question of declaring claims within the previous 5 years).
However, AIG have kindly withdrawn from the home insurance market leaving me with no insurance when it ran out on the 1st June.
When I originally took out this insurance it was through a broker, who because of the claim (within 5 years) and the total of my claim being £50,000 have since abandoned me because they are unable to place me with any of their panel of insurers. I have exhausted myself over the last 3 weeks trying to get insurance, which included contacting the Association of British Insures, the Brokers Association, the environment Agency and every broker on the internet that came up as a possible after googling "insurance for flood victims". I have walked the streets of my local town and walked into every broker on the high street, but because of teh claim they are unable to help because its the underwriters who make the decision and brokers are unable to offer any other advise.

My premium with AIG up until May was £42 per month. Thanks to AIG abandoning me the only quotes I have since been able to secure was for an annual premium of £1,250.00 plus credit charge with an excess of £4,500 or £995.00 per annum plus credit charge but no flood cover.
To try and cut a very long story short, in desperation I walked into my mortgage company and informed them of my problem and that I believe that legally I have an obligation to have building insurance on a mortgaged property but all they could do was pass me to their insurers, the Co-Op to see if they could assist.
After informing them right from the beginning of the flood and the cost of the claim the chap still went through the quotation form.

Co-Op ask if I had made any claims in the last 3 years! NO.......I have not made a claim in the last 3 years (3 years 11 months ago!).
Result?........Premium £37.00 per month with £150.00 voluntary excess!

I have certainly found the insurance industry to be of no use to man nor beast. The only useful people were the Environment Agency who will supply you with a report on your post code if you e-mail them requesting a report due to problems obtaining insurance as a result of flood and it is free.

Sorry this has all been a bit long winded, but I did want you to realise that it has been really hard work but there is light at the end of the tunnel. Please try the Co-Op, they have been brilliant and sympathetic. Give them a go. At this moment they have been my saviour and have saved me from going completely barmey
Good Luck

Divemouse

Argh! I thought I was saved, but the Coop won't insure any house built before 1850!