Insurance for homes in flood-risk areas
If your home has previously flooded or is in a flood risk area, securing flood insurance is a critical step to protect your home and possessions. While most buildings and contents insurance policies include flood cover as standard, if your home has previously flooded or is in a flood risk area, you may need specialist flood insurance, so it’s important to know what’s covered and how it applies to your situation.
What is Flood Home Insurance?
Flood home insurance covers damage caused by floodwater entering your home. This includes scenarios where rivers, canals, or seas breach their banks; heavy rainfall leads to surface water flooding; or extreme weather causes coastal flooding. Standard home insurance may not always cover flood damage, which is why you need specific flood cover to protect your home and belongings.
What Does Flood Home Insurance Cover?
Building Insurance:
Flood cover on buildings insurance provides essential financial protection for the structure of your home. This includes:
- Removing debris after flooding
- Drying out your home to prevent further damage
- Repairing the building’s structure, foundations, plumbing, and electrics
- Covering legal expenses and surveying fees related to the flood damage
Contents Insurance:
Flood insurance also covers your personal belongings within the property. This includes:
- Furniture, carpets, sofas, and other household items
- Electrical appliances like TVs, fridges, and washing machines
- Clothing, books, toys, and personal items
Additionally, some policies provide alternative accommodation cover, meaning your insurer will pay for temporary accommodation if your home becomes uninhabitable due to flooding.
Flood Re Scheme: Making Flood Insurance Affordable
If your home is located in a high-risk flood zone, securing affordable flood insurance can be challenging. To make this more accessible, the Flood Re scheme was introduced. This government-backed scheme reduces premiums for high-risk properties by allowing insurers to claim back a proportion of the costs from a central fund, making cover more affordable and more widely available.
Your home may be eligible for Flood Re if:
- It was built before 2009
- It’s in a residential area and falls within a certain council tax band
- You or your family live in the property
Common Exclusions in Flood Home Insurance
While flood insurance provides substantial cover, there are exclusions. Typically, policies do not cover:
- Property outside the main building, like outbuildings, fences, or gardens
- Money and important paperwork
- Gradual flooding from groundwater or rising water levels
- Damage caused by neglect or poor property maintenance
Always read the terms and conditions carefully to ensure your specific needs are covered.
How to Compare Flood Insurance Quotes
When shopping for flood home insurance, comparing quotes is essential to finding the best cover for your needs. Consider these factors:
- Proximity to water: Whether your home is near rivers, canals, or the coast
- Flood history: Whether your home has previously been flooded
- Level of cover: Decide if you need buildings insurance, contents insurance, or both
- Property details: Include the type and construction of your home
Do You Need Flood Insurance for your home?
Even if your home is not in a traditionally flood-prone area, extreme weather events due to climate change are becoming more common. Flood insurance offers vital protection from the unexpected costs of repairing water damage and replacing belongings. If your home is in a flood-risk area, it’s highly recommended to secure adequate flood cover.
