Home insurance: is it worth paying extra for flood and storm cover?

Allianz has launched a new three-tiered home insurance product, with its most comprehensive level of cover offering extra protection against flood and storm damage.

With extreme weather becoming more frequent and the price of flood repairs spiralling into tens of thousands of pounds, is it worth forking out more to insure your home against potential disasters?

Here, Which? takes a closer look at what Allianz's new product offers and whether a typical home insurance policy is enough.

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What does Allianz's new home insurance product offer?

Allianz UK has launched its first buildings and contents insurance product, offering three different levels of cover: bronze, silver and gold. While fire, storm, flood and subsidence cover are included as standard in all, customers who want extra protection will need to fork out more for a silver or gold package.

For example, all customers can claim for alternative accommodation if events such as flooding and fire render their homes unfit to live in, with bronze customers covered for costs up to £30,000. However, that rises to £75,000 for silver customers and £100,000 for gold.

If you need to rebuild your home after it's damaged, the bronze plan will cover costs up to £500,000, but the silver and gold tiers cover up to £1m. Home contents are covered up to £50,000 under the bronze level, while you can get up to £150,000 with the gold cover.

Homeowners who also want cover for accidental damage and personal belongings and bicycles away from the home will either need to opt for the gold package or pay extra for add-ons to a bronze or silver policy.

All customers also have access to a 24-hour UK claims line, which could be vital if your house is flooded or damaged during the night.

• Find out more: best and worst home insurance companies (note that this guide doesn't include Allianz due to it only having just launched its first home insurance product).

Is the extra protection worth it?

The answer to that question will all depend on individual circumstances, such as where you live and how much you think you'd need to claim should disaster strike.

The good news is that all home insurance policies have fire, storm, flood and subsidence cover included as standard. A typical policy should cover damage caused by floodwater entering your home from an external source, such as heavy rainfall, storms or high tide, or a river bursting its banks. 

All insurers will generally pay for cleaning up and repairing your property, as well as temporary accommodation if your home is uninhabitable. If you've bought contents insurance, your possessions should also be covered.

• Find out more: does home insurance cover flooding?

Watch out for exclusions

As always, there are a few caveats to look out for in the small print. For example, many insurers – including Allianz – won't cover damage to gates or fences. 

The policy also excludes the cost of removing a tree or branch, unless its fall has caused damage to the building itself. Outbuildings and garages are covered, so long as they're not used for business purposes.

Things also get tricky if you live in an area with a high risk of flooding or your home has flooded in the past. Allianz told Which? that it doesn't currently insure properties that have suffered from a flood or are under a current flood warning, and the excess for flood damage is £500.

According to data from GoCompare, the average annual cost of home insurance for those within 150 metres of water was £245 in January 2024. That dropped to £197 for homes more than 400 metres away.

Although a government-backed scheme called Flood Re was set up in 2016 to help insurers cover people living in flood-prone areas, not all companies are signed up and not everyone benefits. Among the types of property excluded from cover are commercial properties, homes built from 1 January 2009 and blocks of more than three residential flats.

If you're having trouble finding an insurer that will offer you flood cover for your property, you might consider trying a specialist broker. The British Insurance Brokers' Association has an online tool and helpline to assist you.

How likely are you to be flooded?

Aviva's new analysis of claims made between 2013 and 2024 suggests that storms and flooding are no longer just a problem in autumn and winter, meaning homeowners should also be prepared to batten down the hatches in the summer months.

The research found that while 2013, 2014 and 2015 saw some flooding in the summer, most claims occurred during the winter months. But in five out of the past 10 years (2016, 2018, 2020, 2021 and 2022), Aviva says that it received the most flood claims during the summer, with significant spikes in August 2020 and July 2021. 

The new trend means that 24% of home flood claims over the past 10 years were made in July and August. The data shows that June is also a peak month, with more than 10% of home flood claims received by the insurer. 

Your property's location will also affect when it is most susceptible to flooding. In winter, floods are more common in the North West, South West and Northern England, which also typically experience river flooding. However, the summer months see a peak in flash flood claims in Greater London, the South East and the East of England.  

• Find out more: how to make a home insurance claim.

6 steps to protect from flooding

You can't control the weather, but there are some simple steps you can take to reduce the risk of your home being flooded:

1. Use permeable materials

An Aviva survey of more than 2,000 homeowners in August 2023 found that 27% have already replaced or plan to replace part or all of their front garden with a driveway made from non-permeable material such as concrete. But doing so could increase the risk of your home being flooded after a particularly bad storm.

To reduce the risk of that happening use permeable materials, such as gravel or block paving, which allow rainwater to soak through to the soil below.

2. Check planning permission 

You may need planning permission if you to intend to change an area of more than five square metres using non-permeable material. If you go ahead without it, you not only risk having your home flooded, but you could find yourself in trouble with the council and forced to remedy the breach. 

3. Consider making partial changes

Think about creating a border around your driveway or installing a drain that will help rainwater to run off during heavy downpours. 

Tis will reduce the flow of water into street drains and may help stop water from entering your property. 

4. Keep an eye on drains

Check the drains around your property regularly and ensure that they're free of leaves, gravel or mud. Report any blocked public road drains or culverts to your local council or authority.

5. Collect rainwater

Installing a water butt to collect rainwater will help prevent a deluge from overwhelming drains and it will also save you money watering the garden during a dry spell. 

6. Check if you are at risk

Depending on where you live, there are different online resources to help you find out if your property is located in a flood-risk area:

• England Environment Agency
• Wales Natural Resources Wales
• Scotland Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA)
• Northern Ireland Rivers Agency.

All four websites have maps showing areas that may be at risk of flooding from rivers and seas.

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