COMMENT
Are You At Risk Of Flooding?

Earlier this week, on the day the Environment Agency launched a campaign warning that too many people were ignoring the risk of flooding, torrential rain caused chaos in parts of the north and west of the UK. Coincidence or what!

More than two million homes in Britain are at risk of flooding and yet the agency says their research shows that more than 40% of their occupants are completely unaware of the threat.

The research also revealed that a third of people in flood risk areas had not checked whether their buildings and contents insurance covers flood damage and only 7% had found out how to get flood warnings. The agency says people are too complacent and have a tendency to think that 'it won't happen to me'.

Last year the agency published a more accurate flood map of the UK so people can find out if they are vulnerable to flooding simply by punching in their postcode. It rates the risks to homes as:

• Significant: the chance of flooding in any year is greater than 1.3% (1 in 75),
• Moderate: the chance of flooding in any year is 1.3% (1 in 75) or less, but greater than 0.5% (1 in 200),
• Low: the chance of flooding in any year is 0.5% (1 in 200) or less.

Owning a home in an 'at risk' area doesn't usually make your home uninsurable although the premiums are likely to be higher. However, insurers won't always guarantee to cover the homes of people living in 'significant' risk areas and there are a handful of homes though where, following multiple flood claims, insurers have simply refused to provide cover at all.

Nevertheless, if you discover that your home is at risk check your home insurance policy asap to make sure you're covered properly.

> Check the status of your home and find out if the Fool can help you get cheaper Insurance.