The value of a good home insurance policy has once again been demonstrated over the last 24 hours as flash floods and torrential rain have blighted many areas of the UK and Ireland.

More to come

Homeowners have found that their household premiums of just a few pounds a week will have saved them thousands of pounds after floodwaters entered their homes. It would seem that others in the east of the country, who don’t have home contents insurance, still have the chance to get covered but only just, as weather forecasters predict floods in the North and South East over the coming days.

Homes flooded for a second time

Yesterday it was Cornwall, Wales and Ireland that bore the brunt of the rain, and in some cases homes that had just been renovated after similar disruption last year were once more under water. In Mevagissey, Cornwall, the Ship Inn and adjacent properties in Chapel Street were flooded in similar circumstances to last year with residents distraught that their painstaking work over the last 12 months had been in vain; fortunately the floodwater was not as bad as last November although several homes were damaged. Floodwaters caused problems in Par, Camelford, and Liskeard and over the border in and around Exeter and Torquay.

Pembrokeshire on flood alert

In Wales two inches of rain fell in Milford Haven and many homeowners protected their valuable possessions by placing sandbags around their homes. Most of the damage in Wales was restricted to roads and cars but households across the principality have been on flood alert as rivers in Pembrokeshire threaten to burst their banks if the rain forecast by meteorologists proves to be correct.

Ulster suffers worst from deluge

Northern Ireland suffered most in the UK yesterday with many properties in County Tyrone being flooded. In Beragh, residents were trapped in their homes with swirling floodwaters at their feet, in all, sixteen homes suffered from flood damage and a brand new civic hall was ruined. In Strabane a electricity substation was at one time in danger of flooding threatening to leave thousands of people without power but emergency services managed to keep the waters out. Many roads were closed due to the rising waters and once again weather people are forecasting more.

In times when many households are suffering financial hardship and family budgets are closely scrutinised to see what savings can be made, the unpredictability of our climate illustrates the need for good insurance.