The ABI have reported that insurers are doing what they can to help those affected, such as contacting customers in the affected areas to see what assistance they can provide, drafting in extra staff to deal with the influx of claims, arranging temporary accommodation and helping businesses with interruption insurance to find alternative trading premises.

They are advising victims of the flash floods that have hit Britain in the last few weeks to contact their insurance provider, and, if necessary, arrange emergency temporary measures to prevent the damage from worsening while awaiting permanent repairs.

Nick Starling, the ABI’s Director of General Insurance and Health, said:

“Insurers already have emergency plans in place to deal with these floods, and will pull out all the stops to help policyholders. Their main priority is to arrange emergency repairs, get people into temporary accommodation where needed and visit properties as soon as they can.”

John Kenny, Claims Manager at NFU Mutual, located in Stratford-Upon-Avon which has been badly hit by the floods, explains how NFU is coping: “As with last month in Yorkshire, the levels of flooding in this region have been unprecedented. Our close proximity to the floods means that we have had people on the ground from the outset and we will be keeping NFU Mutual staff in all of these areas for the foreseeable future, so that they can see claims through to delivery.”

Direct Line’s resources are also stretched in the wake of recent floods; they are warning customers that it may take an average of five days before they receive a visit from a claims assessor, and in the worst affected areas this could be slightly longer.

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