Seeing reports of floods on the news has started to become a regular occurrence. The latest homes to get hit by floods were in Cumbria. With climate change on everyone’s mind at the moment, the number of houses at risk of being flooded is on the rise.

The Environment Agency is currently predicting that 1 out of every 6 homes is at risk of flooding. With this number expected to rise next year, no doubt we will be seeing even more flood reports on the news.

One problem that most people are having in areas at risk of flooding is getting home insurance, especially if it’s holiday homes insurance. Due to a common flood claim costing around £40,000 to the insurer, you should always consider any expensive insurance when buying new property. Fortunately, you can find a number of resources online that tell you if your home is at risk of flooding.

If you are currently living, or are looking to buy a property in England or Wales, you can visit the Environment Agency’s website where they list flood maps of the UK. If you are a Scottish resident, you can visit the Scottish Environment Protection Agency website for more flood informaton.

If you do own a home or are planning to buy a home in a flood risk area, getting your insurance won’t be easy. You’ll generally find that as soon as your home has been flooded, your premiums or excesses will rise. You may even find that you are refused a policy renew due to your house being in an area at risk of flooding.

With every flood claim costing anywhere between £20,000 and £40,000, you should be prepared for a policy excess of up to £30,000. This is the reason why you should add any expensive insurance costs onto house prices when you are looking to buy a home. Getting insurance for second homes can end up creating even more problems. Because you will tend to not live in the house for most of the year, you have to watch out for exclusions and possible high excesses.

Isupposeyou wouldn’t have that problem if you were after Spanish house insurance.