Homeowners have been warned to watch out for changes being made to building insurance policies.
According to drainage expert Drain Claim, insurers are attempting to claw back the £500m cost of this summer’s wet weather.
Drain Claim said that people hit by the recent floods have already been denied cover or quoted vastly over-inflated prices by insurers.
However, it added that even those unaffected should be cautious of cover changes and potential cost increases when renewing their policies.
Drain Claim chief executive David Hayes said: “Unscrupulous insurers are tightening their belts when it comes to paying out on claims and making changes to policies that could be at homeowners’ expense.
“I strongly recommend policyholders compare any new documents they receive with last year’s at the point of renewal, read them thoroughly and don’t be afraid to question any changes.
“In addition, many insurers are trying to sidestep the expensive cost of drainage issues by not including cover for them in the standard terms of their building insurance policies. Homeowners have to take out additional accidental damage cover, which costs extra and is not widely promoted by insurers.
“Now is the time to check the terms of your policy to see if you are adequately protected, even if you are lucky enough not to have been affected by the wet weather so far. Better to find out now and amend your policy if necessary rather than have a costly claim turned down in the future.”
