With countless floods in the last five years alone, insurance companies have become inundated with calls from their customers asking them to pay for repair costs. Is the house insurance company responsible to pay for the damages caused by floods? You’ll actually be surprised with the answer!

When you buy a property, your solicitor will make various searches on the property and one of them will tell you the likelihood of flood and if the property and area has ever had localised flooding. It is at this point that you will need to think twice. It is a good idea beforehand to do your own research before you decide on purchasing a property that exists in a flood risk area. There are many free websites which allow you to check the flooding risk in the area you would like to live. If the house you wish to purchase is in a flood risk, you may have a hard time finding an home insurance company which will take you on.

Home insurance to cover flood damage?
Home insurance does not automatically cover flood damage but if you are buying or live in a flood risk area, you may be able to negotiate a quote. You can take steps to prevent the risk of floods damaging your home. If you can do this, then there is a possibility that a company may accept you. If you are really struggling to find a home insurance company that is willing to cover your home, you may be left with no other option than to go with a specialist flood insurance company.

Special flood insurance policy
There are at least 5 million people who live in areas where floods are likely to occur and although not all of them have witnessed the devastating effects of what floods can do to a property, the risk is still there. There have been many new ideas that local councils and the government have put in place to reduce the risk of flood damage and if you live in one of these areas, you can find out what they are doing to protect your home.

There are a few specialist flood insurance companies that are willing to cover even those who are at high risk flood level. You can even get discounts off provisions that might save or minimise the risk of damage by floods. These companies are specialised and the people who help you with your claim are trained in this area particularly and when you have to claim for flood damage you will find that they are helpful and provide a high level of customer care. As all properties are different, the best thing to do is compare a few quotes before deciding which company to go with.

Do you know your consumer rights when it comes to money spent in shops? Take a look at some cases below:

Scenario 1: if you were looking at an item in a shop and the it fell and broke, do you have to pay for it?
The answer is yes but you only pay the wholesale price and notthe retail price. Shops are not allowed to make a profit on breakages.

Scenario 2: if you have bought a product that was priced incorrectly but you have already paid for the product, can the shop make you pay the difference?
The answer is no – they cannot make you pay the difference as you have already paid for the item and it is yours now.

Scenario 3: You go to a restaurant but don’t like the food, do you have to pay?
The answer is no. As long as you leave your name and address, the police cannot be involved.

Scenario 4: There is a sign at a restaurant, bar, hairdressers saying ‘items left at owner’s risk’ and your personal belonging is then damaged, what happens next?
You are entitled to a replacement to the value of the damaged or lost item.

Scenario 5: You are paying for an item at the till but when you come to pay, it’s more than what it said on the shelf, does the store have the right to make you pay what it says at the till?
It depends – larger companies will honour the price seen but it’s at the managers discretion as they do not automatically have to agree.

Scenario 6: You are at a shopping centre and trying out clothes in one of the changing rooms; your clothes go missing. Is the shop liable?
Yes they are because they have a duty to protect your items; the missing items must be replaced by the store.

If you disagree with having to pay something whether it’s an unfair charge in a restaurant or a film you haven’t watched in a hotel write ‘under protest’ on the bill and you can later challenge them and get your money back.