Insurers bailing as fast as they can

Insurance companies are dealing with policyholders who have been hit by the latest floods as quickly as possible, claims the ABI (Association of British Insurers).

Nick Starling, the ABI’s director of general insurance and health, said: “Insurers already have emergency plans in place to deal with these floods, and will pull out all the stops to help policyholders. Their main priority is to arrange emergency repairs, get people into temporary accommodation where needed and visit properties as soon as they can.”

Insurers have taken a number of steps to tackle the massive number of flood claims, including:

• wherever possible contacting their customers in the post codes affected to see what help they can provide;

“Insurers already have emergency plans in place to deal with these floods, and will pull out all the stops to help policyholders

Nick Starling, the ABI’s director of general insurance and health

• drafting in extra staff to deal with claims;

• making arrangements to visit flooded properties as soon as it is safe to do so;

• arranging for people to be moved into temporary accommodation where their homes are uninhabitable;

• helping firms sort out alternative trading premises if they have business interruption insurance.