Insurers Ready to Support Customers Impacted by Flooding

The Association of British Insurers (ABI) is reassuring homeowners and businesses impacted by flooding that their insurers will be ready to help and support their customers.

Damage caused by floods is covered by most standard home insurance and commercial business policies, and comprehensive motor insurance.

Louise Clark, ABI Senior Policy Adviser for General Insurance, said: “With heavy rain hitting parts of Wales last night and this morning, we want to reassure any customers impacted by flooding that their insurer is ready to help them to recover as quickly as possible. If you’ve suffered damage to your property, business or vehicle, contact your insurer as soon as you can for help and advice.” 

If your property has been flooded, follow our six flood recovery steps: 

Step 1 - Contact your insurer as soon as possible. They will advise you on arranging emergency accommodation if necessary (or any temporary alternative trading premises if you are a business with business interruption cover), the information they will need from you to support your claim, and how to go ahead with the immediate clean-up and repair process.

Step 2 - Assessing the damage and finding temporary accommodation. A loss adjuster will be appointed to assess the claim. An initial assessment of the damage will be done, the repair process explained and the options for alternative accommodation outlined. You should expect to hear from your loss adjuster after contacting your insurer and they will get in touch if they need to arrange a visit to your home. Your insurer may offer to repair your home to make it more resilient to future flooding. Ask your insurer about “Build Back Better” which aims to do this.

Step 3 - Cleaning and stripping out. Your loss adjuster will organise the cleaning and stripping out of your home. This work should start within four weeks of discussing it with your loss adjuster.

Step 4 – Disinfecting and drying your home. Your insurer or loss adjuster will appoint a drying company to disinfect and dry out your home. This can take from a few weeks to several months. Your loss adjuster will give you a timetable and keep you informed.

Step 5 - Repair and reconstruction. Repair work should begin shortly after you get your drying certificate from the drying company. Your loss adjuster will appoint a builder to do the repair and reconstruction work and will keep you updated on expected timeframes. Your insurer may recommend measures like raised electrical sockets, water resistant plaster or flooring to make your home more resilient to future flooding.

Step 6 - Moving back into your home. Your insurer or loss adjuster will discuss with you when you can return home. Depending on how badly damaged your home is, this can be between a few weeks and a year or more after the flood.