Home insurance still essential despite Defra pledge

Homeowners who live on flood plains should not be lulled into a false sense of security by the offer of government help, according to an insurance expert.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs announced on Wednesday that it is to make a total of £5 million available to property owners in areas at risk of flooding to help them improve their home protection.

Grants can be spent on measures such as water-proof floors and raised electrics, which can help to reduce the impact of a flood.

Peter Gerrard, moneysupermarket.com's head of insurance research, welcomed the move, but insisted that people living in areas likely to be affected should not regard it as a replacement for good home and contents policies.

He explained: "If faced with a flooding situation the last thing they'd want is to find they are underinsured or worst - not covered at all."

Meanwhile, the BBC has reported that the Environment Agency is considering a scheme that would see farmland close to the river Severn earmarked for flooding in a bid to lessen the chance of urban areas being affected in the event of severe weather conditions.

31/07/2008 16:50:00