Home Insurance: house has mysteriously been declared a flood risk?

NiallBoo

My mother is renewing the insurance on a house that she owns.

She's started looking around for quotes and was told that the property is now a flood risk. She was baffled by this because the house is in the middle of a village that has no history of flooding and a quick look at the landscape would tell you that it's simply impossible.

The story she's being told is that when the insurers look up the area they're told that it's all labelled as a flood risk and have to charge appropriately or may not insure at all.

Where does that leave us?

Is there a way of challenging the obviously flawed surveys?

Is it possible to take out a policy that won't cover flooding but will cover everything else? (Including things like water damage from burst pipes).

Any advice is welcome.

jinkybhoy

I've come across that alright in my job - They are using some geo thingy and it's not very accurate as far as I can see. Anytime it happens with a client of ours we normally just ring the insurer, explain it hasn't flooded there in donkeys years and they make a note and issue policy as normal.

I've only had it once that the insurer refused to remove flooding clause. The annoying thing on that was that they insured the house next door and no questions were asked!!!

If you ring round different insurers or get a broker, you should be ok.

jinkybhoy

Sorry didn't read last part - Some policies would exclude flood risk and just cover everything else - but as I posted previously she should be ok.

Gumbo

A more recent survey was carried out recently and it took account of developments being built on old floodplains.

Maybe the maps have been altered recently to include your mams house or maybe the insurance companies need to cash in?

Victor

Other thread: http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=95624606

One thread only please.

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