Flood damage - covered by insurance?

People are asking me if their insurance will cover flood damage. Almost certainly yes.

I suggest that you take the following immediate steps:

• Read your insurance policy carefully so that you know what you are covered for and what your obligations are as the insured.
• Don't touch anything until you have reported the flood to your insurer. Think of your house as a crime scene except instead of the police wanting to see it, it will be a loss adjustor. Their job is to assess the damage and therefore loss to you so you do not want to make the situation look better before they arrive.
• Mark the height of flood water on the wall with a permanent marker, in all flooded rooms.
• Speak to your insurer before arranging any emergency repairs. If your insurer gives you the go-ahead, keep your receipt so you can be reimbursed for the cost of repair.
• Take pictures of everything that has been damaged by the flood. This is your evidence that damage really did occur and the extent of it.
• Turn off the power. If water is still coming into your home even though the storm has passed, switch off the power supply as quickly as possible to protect yourself and your home.
• Clear cracked or broken tiles on your roof as they pose a real danger (high winds could blow them off), risking damage to your own property or someone else's.
• Keep a record of all telephone calls to your insurers, including the date, names of people you speak to and what was agreed. You should also keep copies of all letters, emails and faxes you send and receive.
• If your policy covers you for lost perishable goods, list the foods touched by floodwater and those in your fridge and freezer ruined by loss of power and throw them away. But don't throw away anything else until told to.

For more information visit Dean’s free legal and consumer website.