More UK homes are at risk of flooding than burglary
Figures from ONS tell us that 1 in 100 homes in the UK are burgled each year while FloodRe say that as many as one in six homes in the UK are at risk from flooding. But how many homeowners are taking the flood risk seriously?
The Met Office recently warned of gusty winds, rain, and hail across England. They predict that some areas in the south of England could see as much as a month's rainfall in a few hours on Thursday. That means that certain areas are at serious risk of flooding and potential power cuts this week, which is a lot more common than you might think.
In fact, we are more likely to have our homes flooded than burgled, and after England has experienced its wettest 18 months since records began in 1836, the number of homes affected by flooding is likely to grow.
With the average cost of flooding to a home estimated at around £30,000, should one not have insurance the repair bills would be life changing.
And even for those that do have cover, if your home is badly damaged by flooding, it may take up to one year or longer for your home to be restored and become habitable again according to the ABI.
This is mainly due to the time it takes to safely decontaminate and dry out a property after it has been flooded and to undertake any repair or restoration works.
According to data from the 2023 ONS Crime Survey, close to 1 in 100 homes in the UK are burgled each year but official figures show that a staggering one in six homes in the UK are at risk from flooding.
What’s more, while many of us invest in security measures to protect our homes from thieves – whether it’s extra lighting or a video doorbell – few of us that live in at-risk properties are taking steps to safeguard our homes from flood damage.
Government figures suggest that fewer than 10% of people realise that they are at risk and even fewer have plans about how to respond if a flood hit.
This is likely due to the common misconception that you’re only at risk from floods if you live beside the water, when in fact, a quarter of flooding occurs in areas that are formally designated as being outside of flood risk zones.
Surface water flooding, when too much rainwater overwhelms existing drainage systems or cannot soak into the ground, can happen very quickly and can be difficult to predict.
This has been a growing concern for homeowners as last winter was one of the UK’s wettest on record and official figures show that there are 3.4 million properties at risk of surface water flooding.
And even if you don’t live in a flood risk area, flooding is hazardous, particularly for drivers on UK roads.
It only takes 60cm of standing water to float your car and 30cm of flowing water to move it. The AA reports that about a third (32%) of flood-related deaths are in vehicles.
Find out what to do if your car is damaged in a flood.
Ensure you’re covered for flooding
While flood insurance is included in most home insurance policies, it can increase the cost of your policy if your home is judged to be at a high risk of flooding.
Home insurance policies with combined buildings and contents cover cost an average of £257 annually* but generally, the closer you live to water – be that the sea, a river, or a lake – the more you may need to pay for your home insurance to cover flood damage.
Luckily, if you are at high-risk of flooding, a government-backed insurance scheme is available to property owners who previously struggled to buy affordable home insurance.
Flood Re is a government-backed insurance scheme set up to help people in high-risk flood areas obtain more affordable home insurance.
Since its launch in 2015, the scheme reports that 98% of households with a prior flood claim(s) can now receive insurance quotes from ten or more insurers. Meanwhile, 4 out of 5 householders with a previous flood claim(s) have seen a price reduction of more than 50%.
Like with all financial products, it’s crucial to do your research before you buy. Bear in mind that policies vary but common flood insurance exclusions include:
Alternative accommodation: You may have to cover the cost of alternative accommodation while your home is repaired after a flood
Escape of water: If the water damage is due to a pipe leaking or bursting in your home, it falls under the ‘escape of water’ section of your policy
Fences, hedges, and gates: Flood damage to fences, hedges and gates on your property is not always covered by a standard flood insurance policy
You may however be able to add these types of cover to your home insurance at an extra cost.

Get prepared
Think about making your property resilient to flooding. To reduce flood damage, you could lay tiles instead of carpets, move electrical sockets up the wall and fit non-return valves.
According to Flood Re, Property Flood Resilience (PFRs) products can reduce the cost of repair work by as much as 73% after a flood.
Buy sandbags and flood boards you can use to seal doorways and place them in sinks and toilets to prevent sewage backflow.
Plastic sheeting is also useful to block air bricks In locations that are at high risk of flooding or have experienced flooding very recently, there may be funding available from the local council or the Environment Agency to install PFR measures.
Your local authority can provide more information on any ongoing or upcoming flood risk management schemes that include the provision of PFR to properties at risk.
Put together an emergency kit of essentials you would need in the event of a flood, including insurance documents, a battery-powered torch and radio, waterproof clothing and blankets, bottled water, non-perishable food and medication, a first-aid kit, phone chargers, and food for babies and pets.
Take photos of your home before the flooding starts so you have before-and-after shots to show your insurer.
Batten down the hatches
If you know there is a high chance your home is about to be flooded, you should also:
Listen for flood warnings: Keep an ear out for local flood warnings on the radio, the TV news or via the gov.uk website. Government figures show that just 1.6 million people have signed up, so make sure you are one of them
Turn electricity, gas, and water off: Where possible, shut off your mains electricity, gas, and water before floodwater enters your home
Shut your windows and doors: Shutting windows and doors will help to reduce the amount of floodwater that can enter your home
Evacuate vulnerable people: Evacuate young children and pets before the flooding begins as they are particularly vulnerable
Move your car to high ground: If you have time, take your car to higher ground before the floodwater reaches your area
Protect your belongings: Place valuables and electronic items as high as possible to avoid them being damaged
Know the risk
If you live in England, you can check your flood risk at https://www.gov.uk/check-long-term-flood-risk.
This service will tell you about your area’s long term flood risk, the possible causes of flooding where you live, and how to manage flood risk. Causes of flooding might be rivers and the sea, surface water, reservoirs or groundwater.
If you live in Scotland visit Flood Maps | SEPA - Flood Maps | SEPA, in Wales Natural Resources Wales / Check your flood risk by postcode or Northern Ireland Check the risk of flooding in your area | nidirect
*The annual premium that 51% of our customers paid in April 2024 where the cover type purchased was building and contents insurance, based on MoneySuperMarket consumer data
Sources
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/national-drought-group-meets-after-record-wet-october-to-march
https://www.abi.org.uk/products-and-issues/topics-and-issues/flooding/recovering-from-a-flood/
https://www.floodre.co.uk/cop26-hub/
https://environmentagency.blog.gov.uk/2017/10/27/how-frightened-should-we-be-of-flooding/
https://committees.parliament.uk/oralevidence/14328/pdf/
https://www.theaa.com/driving-advice/seasonal/driving-through-flood-water