It is thought that more than two million homes in the UK could be flooded. This is because of many things, like heavy rain or high tides caused by bad weather. Other problems, like broken pipes, can also cause flooding.
Even though some places, like those near the coast, are more likely to be affected by floods than others, it is important to make sure you have enough protection against the effects of a flood. A recent survey showed that more than half of the people in Britain did not have enough insurance to protect them from flooding. In 2006, 52 percent of the people who were hurt by floods didn't have insurance.
Even so, people who live in high-risk areas will have to pay more for their insurance than those who live in low-risk areas. If the chance is greater than 1 in 75, you are in a high-risk area. If the chance is 1 in 200, you are in a low-risk area. This information comes from a flood map that was made by the Environmental Agency. It is used by insurance companies. People who live in low- and medium-risk areas should be able to pay for flood insurance, but people who live in high-risk areas might have a hard time getting flood insurance.
Homeowners who are at risk should, of course, do everything they can to keep their homes from flooding. You can buy special products to help lower the risk, and a company may ask you to do so before they will accept your application.
As with any kind of insurance, you should shop around because premiums can be different from one company to the next, especially if you live in a high-risk area. You can get as many quotes as possible for insurance that covers flood damage by shopping online and going to a specialist broker. You should always know what you are and are not covered for.
Even though you might not be at a high risk of flooding, some companies that use postcodes to figure out risk might say you are, and you might have to pay more than you should. But if you look around, you might find a company that uses a different way to figure out how risky you are, which means you can get a lower price premium.
