MSE News: Hit by flooding over Christmas? Tips for claiming on your insurance

Former_MSE_Nick

Floods across the North West and Yorkshire have affected thousands of people over Christmas, with many left without power or even evacuated from their homes...

Read the full story:

Hit by flooding over Christmas? Tips for claiming on your insurance



Click reply below to discuss. If you haven’t already, join the forum to reply. If you aren’t sure how it all works, read our New to Forum? Intro Guide.

Ian011

New FCA regulations effective 26 October 2015 require financial services including banks and insurance companies to use numbers starting 01, 02, 03 or 080 for contact from existing customers.

If your existing paperwork is directing you to call an 084, 087 or 09 number, check the official website of the organisation you are calling to discover the new number.

Do not call numbers found in Google search results, be sure to click through to the official website of the organisation you are calling.

Calls to 01, 02 and 03 numbers are inclusive from landlines and from mobiles, else charged at geographic rate.

Calls to 080 numbers are free from landlines and from mobiles.

Calls to 084, 087 and 09 numbers are premium rate with an additional Service Charge paid to the benefit of the called party and their telecoms provider.

robin58

So MSE, got any tips for the people who have not got Insurance because the last time they got flooded the Insurance industry wold not insure them anymore.

Great to give advise, how about a story from the reverse side.

poppy10_2

robin58 wrote: »

So MSE, got any tips for the people who have not got Insurance because the last time they got flooded the Insurance industry wold not insure them anymore.

Move house to somewhere less likely to get flooded?

robin58

poppy10 wrote: »

Move house to somewhere less likely to get flooded?

So how are they going to finance that me if they can't sell their house due to it being in a flood plain and unable to get insurance.

So instead of giving a smart ar** answer to the question, how about a practical well thought answer to my question.

xMonsoonx

There are insurers who still insure flood risk properties, Castle Agencies & Ageas for example.

Its possible to make improvements post flood to stop future damage being so extensive like stone floors, wider staircase and doorways to move things upstairs, air brick covers and door barriers.

Davesnave

robin58 wrote: »

So instead of giving a smart ar** answer to the question, how about a practical well thought answer to my question.

How about you first giving some links which demonstrate what you're claiming: i.e. that people have been unable to get insurance?

As I understand it, those previously affected have been able to insure, albeit at greater expense. This is because the industry and the rest of us have been subsidising their premiums through an agreement, which has government support.

It might not be perfect, but so far as I'm aware, the situation you describe hasn't happened .

https://www.abi.org.uk/Insurance-and-savings/Topics-and-issues/Flooding/Government-and-insurance-industry-flood-agreement/The-future-of-flood-insurance

Davesnave

xMonsoonx wrote: »

Its possible to make improvements post flood to stop future damage being so extensive like stone floors, wider staircase and doorways to move things upstairs, air brick covers and door barriers.

Given that the Environment Agency is unlikely to be able to protect everyone, this sort of fix seems likely to become better understood. Not ideal, but with such huge investment tied-up in property, better than alternatives.

I've seen flood resistant ground floor works applied to a property locally, which has a history of flooding maybe every 10-20 years. I'd guess that house has been in its riverside location for well over 100 years and occupied throughout.

stegi

Instead of complaining about the Environment Agency, local Council, or dealing with insurance companies - why do people not spend just a fraction of the time and money getting independent professional advice?

Its as simple as googling "civil engineering consultancy flood advice".

Often it is possible to obtain grants to work with others in your local community and miss out the politics and delays with the Environment Agency and their major schemes. As mitigating measures can the be designed to maximise benefit, savings can be made of contractor work and reductions in ongoing insurance premiums achieved.

When an area floods the EA are everywhere doing things in front of the press. When the water has dropped they are gone. Then you are hit by a wave of flood product sales teams.

What is understandably irritating is the number of people who are flooded who just make a claim and then employ nobody to actually advise or design a scheme to reduce the risk.

Blackberry_Farm

We attended floods down in the Scottish Borders with the response group and several businesses and houses we spoke to were told by insurers they were UNINSURABLE and could not get cover for anything ! One WAS told they could get insurance but it would cost the small shop £20,000 a year !! There was no way she could afford that !