💼 Dealing with Your Insurance Company After a Flood
How to take control, protect your claim, and get what you’re entitled to
If you’ve been flooded, you’re now entering what can be the most stressful and confusing part of recovery — dealing with your insurance company.
They’ll tell you they’re there to help. But remember this truth:
Their job is to minimise the claim. Your job is to make sure you get what you’re entitled to.
This guide will help you stay in control, ask the right questions, and keep things moving when they start to stall.
🧾 1. Get Everything in Writing
Never rely on verbal promises. Ever.
Always ask for written confirmation of:
- What is and isn’t covered
- What they’ve agreed to pay for
- When works are due to start
- Who is responsible for each part of the claim
If you have a phone call, follow it up immediately with an email summarising what was discussed:
“Just to confirm our call today — you said the drying works will start next Tuesday and that a loss adjuster will visit before then…”
This paper trail will protect you later when things get “forgotten” or contradicted.
🕐 2. Stay on Them — or Things Will Slide
Once you’ve reported your claim, the insurance machine starts turning. But unless you chase, it can grind to a halt.
Floods create a backlog. Contractors, loss adjusters, and surveyors are in short supply.
If you’re not chasing, you’ll be forgotten.
✅ Call or email every few days until you have:
- A named claims handler
- A loss adjuster visit date
- A clear timeline for the drying process
You can be polite and persistent — but don’t feel guilty for chasing. It’s your home, your family, and your life.
🏠 3. Ask About Alternative Accommodation or Living Allowances
If your home is uninhabitable (no heating, electricity, working kitchen, or bathroom), you may be entitled to:
- Temporary accommodation (re-housing) in a hotel, rental home, or serviced apartment
- Or a daily living allowance if you stay put during repairs
💡 Ask directly:
“Can I be rehomed during drying works?”
“If I choose to stay, what living allowance or inconvenience payment am I entitled to?”
Some policies even cover extra travel, meal, and heating costs during this time.
If they refuse, ask for the specific policy clause that says so — don’t just accept a “no”.
🧑🔧 4. Get Your Own Independent Surveyor (If You Can)
Your insurer may send their own surveyor — but remember, they work for them, not you.
An independent surveyor can:
- Represent your interests, not the insurer’s
- Ensure the full extent of damage is recorded
- Push for full reinstatement (not just a cheap patch-up)
- Identify hidden damage (e.g. warped joists, soaked insulation)
If you choose to hire your own, get approval in writing that their fees will be covered. Many insurers will pay a reasonable amount toward this.
💡 5. Ask for an Interim Payment
Flooding brings instant expenses — shoes, school uniforms, coats, furniture, bedding, temporary heaters, cleaning materials, food.
You don’t need to wait months for reimbursement.
Ask for an interim payment to cover immediate costs.
You can say:
“We’ve had to replace essential clothing and items for daily living. Can you issue an interim payment while the claim is processed?”
They may ask for receipts, but some will agree to a set amount upfront.
💰 6. Claim Back All Eligible Costs
Here are some common costs people forget they can claim:
| Expense | Can You Claim? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Heating and electricity used during drying | ✅ Usually | Keep meter readings and receipts — you can claim the extra usage. |
| Council tax on uninhabitable homes | ✅ Usually | Ask your local council for a temporary exemption or reduction. |
| Insurance premium increase next year | ❌ No | Unfortunately, this is not usually covered. |
| Replacement food & cleaning supplies | ✅ Sometimes | If spoiled due to power loss or flood contamination. |
| Pets’ boarding or relocation | ✅ Sometimes | Check wording under “alternative accommodation” or “additional costs”. |
| Temporary furniture or storage | ✅ Usually | Must be agreed in advance. |
| Loss of earnings (if you work from home) | ✅ Possibly | Some policies cover business interruption. Ask. |
Keep every receipt, label them, and store digitally too.
📋 7. Double-Check Everything
Don’t assume your insurer (or their contractors) are right — they often get it wrong.
Check:
- Quotes and scopes of work match what’s actually damaged
- Items are like-for-like replacements (not cheaper alternatives)
- Measurements and materials are correct
- Moisture readings show it’s genuinely dry before reinstatement begins
If something feels off, query it immediately in writing.
It’s much harder to fix later.
🧠 8. Ask Questions — Lots of Them
Never feel like you’re being a nuisance.
The people handling your claim work for you — and you have a right to understand every decision.
Ask:
- “How did you calculate that value?”
- “Can I see the report from the loss adjuster?”
- “Can I choose my own builder?”
- “Can I see the drying certificate?”
- “When will the next review happen?”
- “Who signs off my property as ready for reinstatement?”
Write down every answer.
🗃️ 9. Keep a Flood Recovery File
Set up a folder (physical or digital) with:
- Policy documents
- Every email and letter
- Notes of every phone call (with names, dates, and what was said)
- Photos of every stage of the process
- Receipts and invoices
- Moisture/drying reports
If your claim ever gets disputed or delayed, this file becomes your strongest weapon.
⚖️ 10. If You’re Not Getting Anywhere
If the insurer is dragging their feet or you’re being treated unfairly:
- Ask for their Complaints Procedure
- Escalate to a Senior Claims Manager
- Keep records of delays, broken promises, and unanswered emails
If you’re still unhappy after 8 weeks, you can go to the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) — they can investigate for free.
👉 www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk
🧩 11. Remember: You’re the Project Manager Now
Treat your claim like a project — with you as the manager.
Stay on top of:
- Timelines
- Contractors
- Reports
- Payments
The more proactive you are, the faster things move — and the less you’ll lose out on.
⚡ Quick Recap:
✅ Get everything in writing
✅ Chase regularly — or it will stall
✅ Ask about rehousing or living allowances
✅ Claim for interim payments and essentials
✅ Keep a full evidence log
✅ Don’t assume they’re right — double-check
✅ Hire your own surveyor if needed
✅ Don’t give up — persistence pays