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Patrick Ginnelly & Co. Property Claims Assessors Patrick Ginnelly & Co. Property Claims Assessors

Flood Damage Claims

A book floats on flood water in a living room, with a sofa and shelves behind
Illustrative images only.

Floodwater can damage the structure of a property, its floors and finishes, and everything inside it. A flood damage insurance claim can involve a large amount of repair and drying work. The claim also depends on what your policy says about flood.

Common causes and signs

Flooding comes from different sources:

  • a river or lake that overflows
  • the sea during a high tide or a storm surge
  • surface water from heavy rain that cannot drain away
  • a blocked or overloaded drain or sewer

Water can enter through doors, airbricks, floors and walls. Signs of flood damage include:

  • a tide mark on walls
  • wet or lifting floors and swollen skirting boards
  • damp plaster and peeling paint
  • a musty smell
  • electrical sockets and appliances that have been under water
  • mud and silt on floors and in garden buildings

What a flood claim can cover?

A house standing in flood water on open land
Illustrative images only.

Depending on your policy, a flood claim can include:

  • drying out the building
  • repair or replacement of floors, plaster, joinery and kitchens
  • repair or replacement of electrics and heating that the water reached
  • repair or replacement of contents
  • alternative accommodation while the home is unfit to live in, where the policy includes it
  • for a business, lost income and extra costs

Flood cover and limits vary a lot. Some policies limit or exclude flood for properties in certain areas. Check your policy schedule and wording.

What to do first?

  1. Keep everyone safe. Do not walk through floodwater. Keep away from electrics until a qualified electrician says they are safe.
  2. Take photos and video of the damage, including the water level on walls.
  3. Move valuables up and away from the water, if it is safe to do so. Keep damaged items until your insurer has seen them.
  4. Keep receipts for emergency costs, such as pumping, drying and a place to stay.
  5. Read your policy for notice conditions. Tell your insurer as soon as you can, and within any time limit in your policy.

Where flood claims get difficult

Flood water fills a main street between shops and houses
Illustrative images only.
  • Drying and hidden damage. Water soaks into walls, floors and cavities. Damp readings help show what is still wet and how far the damage reaches.
  • Policy limits and exclusions. Flood limits, excesses and exclusions can change what the policy pays.
  • Cause of the water. An insurer may treat a river flood, a drain backing up and a burst pipe in different ways.
  • Scope of repair. You and the insurer may disagree on whether items can be dried and kept or must be replaced.
  • Underinsurance. If the sum insured is below the real rebuilding or replacement cost, the insurer may reduce what it pays.

How we help

As Loss Assessors, we act for you, not for your insurer. We report the claim, meet the loss adjuster at your property, put together the detailed costs of the drying, repair and replacement work, and deal with your insurer until the claim is settled.

Not sure which claim fits? Contact us and tell us what happened.