With parts of Scotland and the North of England receiving heavy rain over the last 24 hours, and further rain expected in the next 24 hours, More Th>n Insurance is issuing the following advice to home owners and small businesses at risk of the rising water levels.
- Listen out for flood warnings on your local TV and radio stations. The Environment Agency has a 24-hour information service called Floodline available on 0845 988 1188 and also a website which provides useful advice and updates
- Have sandbags – your local council may be able to provide these – and boards ready to block doors.
- Keep your insurance policy documents in a water-tight bag in a safe place.
- Keep a note of your insurer’s helpline number handy.
- Prepare a ‘Flood Pack’ and make sure that everyone in your home or business knows where it is. The pack should include: a torch, battery-operated radio (with spare batteries), a first aid kit, warm clothes, blankets and bottles of water. Keep it in a safe place. If you have one, remember to take your mobile phone upstairs and keep it charged.
- Think about where to park your car. Is it safe?
- Be prepared to move furniture and valuable items upstairs or to a safe place, out of danger. Remember to include items like photos and valuable paperwork that have high sentimental value and will be difficult to replace.
- If you receive warnings of imminent flooding, be ready to switch off gas and electricity supplies but listen for advice on your local radio station. If water levels start to enter your home or business, turn off the gas and the electricity at the main fuse board.
- Have a map of your local area handy. If you decide to evacuate, bear in mind that some local roads may already be blocked and impassable. Do not attempt to drive across flooded roads.
- If your home or business is flooded, contact your insurance company as soon as possible.
Mark Christer, personal lines managing director, said: “Our claims staff are trained to deal with flooding and are on hand 24/7 to help. My advice to anyone affected by flooding is to use the skills and services offered by your insurance company.”
