How to protect your home from flooding in 2008

• Reduce the amount of water entering your property. Use sandbags, plywood, metal or plastic sheeting placed on the outside of doors, windows and airbricks. You do not have to seal your property completely, but this will reduce the amount of floodwater entering your property. (After flooding remove any covers over air-bricks as ventilation will aid the drying of your property).

• Floodwaters can enter through drains. The easiest way of preventing this is by putting in plugs and weighing them down with sandbags. Washing machines and dishwashers' outflows should be disconnected and blocked with a cloth/plug to prevent back flow. Placing a sandbag in the toilet bowl will also prevent backflow.

• Floodwater can contaminate foodstuffs and chemicals such as paint, garden pesticides, household cleaning products and garage oils. Similarly these can spill or leak into the floodwaters causing additional clean-up problems. Keep these materials upstairs or high up in your garage/shed.

• Move furniture and electrical items upstairs and (if you have time) roll up rugs, carpets and curtains for suitable storage. (If you don't have time, raise curtains by hanging them over the curtain poles.

• Remember you cannot replace items of sentimental value, photographs or favourite toys. Keep them upstairs or somewhere high up on a permanent basis.

• Should furniture be too heavy to move, empty it and move its contents upstairs. Raise it on bricks to minimise damage and move it away from walls as this can assist in drying the property later.

During a flood

• Avoid contact with floodwaters; they may be contaminated with sewage.

•Do not wade through high floodwaters; manhole covers may have lifted, leaving deep and dangerous unseen holes.

• Do as instructed by the emergency services - you may have to be evacuated. This will be done for your own good.

• Leave internal ground floor doors open (doors may swell and jam if left closed).

After a flood

• Call your insurance company's (24 hour) Emergency Helpline as soon as possible. They will be able to provide information on dealing with your claim, and assistance in getting things back to normal.

• Keep a record of the flood damage (especially photographs or video footage) and retain correspondence with insurers after the flood.

• Commission immediate emergency pumping/repair work if necessary to protect your property from further damage. This can be undertaken without insurer approval (remember to get receipts).

• Get advice where detailed, lengthy repairs are needed. Your insurer or loss adjuster can give advice on reputable contractors / tradesmen. Beware of bogus tradesmen and always check references.

• Make sure your insurance company knows where to contact you if you have to move out of your home.

• Do not turn on gas, electricity or water supplies until you have contacted your gas, electricity and water companies. Have your power supplies checked before you turn them back on to make sure they have dried out. Wash taps and run them for a few minutes before use.

• Open doors and windows to ventilate the house but take care to ensure your house and valuables are secure.

• Don't think it can't happen again. Restock your supplies.

For advice in the event of a flood you can visit the Environment Agency's website at www.environment-agency.gov.uk or call 0845 988 1188 for the national advice line; all calls are charged at a local rate.

Are you insured for damages?

Anyone who is to be affected by the flooding and already has a home insurance policy should be fortunate enough to have flood damage included as part of their cover. Most home insurance policies do include this cover as standard but double check the small print.

For the unfortunate homeowners who do not currently have any existing home insurance and have been hit by a flood, there is very little point in trying to arrange cover now. Many leading home insurers even are considering removing flood cover from their standard home insurance policies unless the government increases its flood defence budget.

When it comes to renewing your home insurance, if your property has been affected by the recent floods or is considered to be in an area liable to flooding your current home insurance provider may decline to continue to offer your insurance altogether. They are under no obligation to renew your home insurance simply because you are an existing customer.

If they are willing to continue to insure your property even though it is at risk of being flooded, you can expect your home insurance premium to rise by 20-30%. This increase reflects the increase in risk you present to them.

When arranging home insurance cover insurers will use your postcode to decide whether you live in an area at risk of being flooded. It pays to inform your insurer if you live on top of a hill or in a high rise flat as although the area around may be at risk of being flooded, it is unlikely that your property encounter water damage.

Many homeowners do not realise that 90% of the flooding damage is caused by the first inch of water that enters the property. Therefore, if you are in a flood risk area it is recommended that you invest in flood protection equipment to prevent the water entering your home.

Flood protection equipment reduces the likelihood of water seeping through door and window frames, thus improving your insurance prospect in the eyes of the insurance industry.

One piece of equipment which will help you achieve a good level of protection is offered by Flood Guards (www.floodguards.com). Although main stream home insurers are still unlikely to insure you even if you have taken precautions, there are flood insurance specialists out there. Bureau Insurance Services provide flood insurance protection and they can be contacted on 0870 112 8740.