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Counting the cost of flooding By Hannah Ricci
Yvonne Roberts from Kingswood in Hull woke in the morning on 26 June to find the pavement outside her house submerged in water. By 9.30am it had reached her drive and by 11am it had gushed under the front door into her home. "I immediately got "We stayed at my mum's for two weeks, and have been living in a caravan outside our house since," explains Yvonne. Several months have passed since floods wreaked devastation across Britain this summer, but the Roberts family - and the other estimated 50,000 victims - are still picking up the pieces and trying to get their lives back on track. June and July saw the worst flooding in the UK for 60 years. Insurers are expected to pay out in excess of £3 billion to businesses and homeowners to cover the costs of drying out and disinfecting their properties and replacing sodden belongings. According to the Association of British Insurers (ABI), the industry has handled over 50,000 flood claims this year. The July floods resulted in 12,000 claims for flood damaged homes, and 3,500 claims from businesses, while insurers are continuing to deal with over 27,500 household and 7,000 business claims following the Yorkshire floods in June. Worryingly, one-in-three homeowners in the UK don't have home insurance, according to Abbey. As a result, many flood victims will foot the hefty repair bill themselves. The average flood damaged home is expected to cost £30,000 to return it to its original state. If you haven't been flooded and are at risk, it's worth getting your home covered. Cover might be expensive, but it could save you thousands in the long run. Insurance lifeline For those flood victims with buildings and contents insurance, most insurers are pulling out all the stops. Despite scaremongering in the press that the insurance industry is struggling to cope, Nick Starling - the ABI's director of general insurance and health - claims insurers are prepared for such catastrophes. "Insurers have emergency plans in place to deal with floods." Ursula and Samuel Taylor, both 75, from Failsworth in Manchester, lost lots of their belongings when their home flooded in April, but were able to get back on track very quickly. "We woke up to find the lounge ankle deep in water," says Ursula. "The rugs were floating, the wallpaper was rolling up off the walls and my lovely table and chairs were completely ruined." Ursula and Samuel got straight on the phone to their insurer - Churchill - which immediately sent out an assessor to weigh up the damage. "Churchill was very good, our house was back to normal quickly." Yvonne was also impressed by the service she received from her insurer. "I noticed a few of our neighbours were staying in caravans outside their homes because there were looters in the area, so I asked Halifax if we could have one so we could keep an eye on our home and they agreed straightaway." Yvonne had a better experience than her neighbours. "Our insurer sent an assessor out to see us two or three days later," explains Yvonne. "He said everything that had come into contact with flood water would be replaced as new. However, our neighbour's insurance company is attempting to restore their furniture instead of replace it." The clean-up Even with the best insurance, flood victims can expect a lengthy clean-up process. The Environment Agency stresses not re-occupying your home until any mud has been removed, it has been cleaned, disinfected and dried out. The drying process can take up to 12 months. Get in touch with your local authority for assistance with water drainage and waste disposal, and getting rid of furniture and carpets. It can provide contact details for suppliers of cleaning material and equipment to dry out your property. You'll need to call on local tradesmen to deal with electrics, plumbing, building work and decoration. Unfortunately, rogue traders shamelessly operate at times of distress, so it's crucial to check references and - where possible - take recommendations from your insurer, friends, family or neighbours - and get more than one quote. Some insurers insist you check with them before you go ahead with any work, as they have a list of suppliers that you must use - give them a call before you employ anyone. It's advisable never to pay cash in advance, and always get signed receipts for the work. While tradesmen will be in high demand at times like this, don't to attempt any work yourself unless you know what you are doing. There is plenty you can do yourself to speed up the cleaning-up process, but don't do anything to put yourself or your property at risk. Help your property dry out by keeping it well-ventilated, and open windows and doors. It's worth oiling hinges and locks to prevent corrosion, and with your insurer's approval, remove any floor coverings and wash walls with disinfectant and water. Further cost Unfortunately, flood victims are likely to be hit in the pocket when they come to renew their insurance or sell their homes. The UK's largest insurer - Norwich Union - hiked average home insurance premiums by 10% in August. Those in flood-risk areas are likely to be hardest hit. James Harrison says there is a gentlemen's agreement that people in areas liable to flooding can renew their policies with their existing insurer. "But providers don't have to honour this," he explains. "They may raise premiums, require homeowners to put preventative flood measures in place before they'll provide cover or refuse to insure altogether." Harrison adds that homeowners on flood plains who have not previously held home and contents insurance will struggle to secure cover for their homes, and thousands could find it hard to sell their homes as a result. "Many of the leading home insurance providers are thinking about removing flood cover from their standard policies unless the Government increases its flood defense budget," says Harrison. This means that it will be increasingly difficult to find an insurer that will provide the level of cover required if you live in a high-risk area. And if your home is uninsurable, it could decrease in value or be impossible to sell because buyers need buildings insurance before lenders will grant a mortgage.
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