If a river, a drain or a very wet autumn puts your street at risk, you need to know three things before the water arrives: how likely it is, whether you can get affordable cover, and what to do on the day. The answer to the second one is Flood Re, a UK scheme that lets insurers offer flood re uk homeowner cover at a capped price even when the risk is high. This guide explains who qualifies, how to check your risk and how to protect your home and your claim.
Flood Re is a reinsurance scheme, not an insurer. You cannot buy a Flood Re policy yourself; your ordinary home insurer passes the flood part of your cover to the scheme, and the premium for that part is capped by your council tax band. It was set up so that homes at higher flood risk could still be insured at a sensible price. It does not stop flooding, and it does not cover everything, so the rest of this guide covers the gaps.
How likely is your home to flood?
Start with facts, not worry. Flooding in the UK comes from several sources: rivers overflowing, the sea, surface water when drains cannot cope, groundwater rising through the ground, and burst or blocked pipes. Many homes that flood are nowhere near a river, because surface water flooding follows the slope of the land and the capacity of local drains.
Check your long-term flood risk
The government’s long-term flood risk service on gov.uk lets you search by postcode for England and gives a risk level for rivers and sea and for surface water: very low, low, medium or high. Scotland uses SEPA’s flood maps, Wales uses Natural Resources Wales and Northern Ireland uses the Department for Infrastructure’s flood maps. Check the source that matches your address, and screenshot the result for your records.
Read the result sensibly
A “low” rating still means a small chance each year, not no chance. A “medium” or “high” rating means a roughly 1 in 100 or 1 in 30 chance in any single year, which over a 25-year mortgage is far from remote. Look at local history too. Ask neighbours, check your parish or council website and look at your property’s Local Authority search from when you bought, which often notes past flooding.
What Flood Re actually is
Flood Re is a not-for-profit reinsurance scheme run jointly by the UK government and the insurance industry. It launched in 2016. When you buy home insurance, your insurer can choose to pass the flood risk on your property to Flood Re at a price based on your council tax band, then charge you a premium that reflects that capped cost.
In practice, this means a home in a high-risk area should be able to get a quote that is not wildly out of proportion to the rest of the street. The scheme is meant to be temporary while the industry and government move towards risk-reflective pricing, so it is worth understanding it now.
Who qualifies?
For your home to be eligible, it generally has to meet all of these:
It is a residential property in the UK, owned or let privately, including buy-to-let.
It was built before 1 January 2009, because newer homes are expected to have flood risk considered at planning stage.
It falls within council tax bands A to H, or the equivalent in Northern Ireland.
It is not a business property, and not a block with more than three flats of which you own a share through a freeholder policy, depending on how the block is insured.
If your home was built after 2008, Flood Re generally does not apply. That does not mean you cannot get insurance, but you may need to rely on the market directly, so shop around with a broker who knows flood cover.
What does Flood Re not cover?
Flood Re covers the flood part of home buildings and contents policies. It does not cover businesses, most commercial landlords, or anything you have not insured. It does not stop your insurer from applying an excess, setting conditions or refusing a claim for other reasons, such as unreported previous damage.
What flood cover costs, and how to keep it down
Flood Re caps what your insurer pays for flood, but your premium still depends on the rest of your cover, your claims history and your postcode. Excesses on flood claims can be higher than standard. A typical flood excess is a few hundred pounds, and Flood Re’s own excess rules apply on top for some policies.
To keep premiums in check:
Get quotes through a broker or comparison site that asks about flood, and state the correct risk level. A wrong answer can void a claim.
Raise your voluntary excess only if you can afford it on the day of a claim.
Fit resilience measures and tell your insurer. Some insurers recognise flood doors, boards and non-return valves in their pricing or terms.
Keep a clean claims record by fixing small leaks and blockages before they become claims.
Reduce damage: property flood resilience
Property flood resilience (PFR) means changing your home so that water does less harm or leaves faster. There are two broad approaches, and the best homes use both.
Resistance: keeping water out
Resistance measures try to stop water entering. Examples include removable flood boards across doors, airbrick covers, door and window barriers, and flood-rated doors. They work best against shallow, short-lived flooding, for example up to about 600 mm, because deeper water can push walls and floors out of position.
Resilience: limiting harm when water gets in
Resilience measures accept that water may enter and make the damage easier to recover from. Think solid concrete or tiled ground floors rather than chipboard, raised electrical sockets and consumer units, water-resistant plaster and lime-based finishes, kitchen units that can be dismantled and non-return valves on drains to stop sewage flowing back in. Moving sockets above likely flood height costs a few hundred pounds, and it makes drying out far quicker.
Build back better
If you are repairing after a claim, ask your insurer whether the policy includes a “build back better” or resilience payment. Some policies, and Flood Re’s own scheme, may contribute towards more flood-resilient repairs, such as raised sockets or better flooring, instead of putting everything back as it was. This is easy to miss, so ask before work begins.
My view: keep the evidence before you need it
The single most useful thing you can do for flood protection is to build your claim evidence before the water comes. Most flood claims that stall do so on proof: nobody can show what the home contained, what condition it was in or what was paid for it. A dated photo set and a folder of receipts will do more for a smooth claim than any expensive barrier.
I would put that ahead of buying flood boards. Barriers help, but they fail, people are out at work when the warning comes, and cover is what pays when they do. Treat the paperwork as the first line of defence.
Know the warning system
In England, the Environment Agency issues flood alerts and warnings, and you can sign up to get them by phone, text or email. A flood alert means flooding is possible, a flood warning means flooding is expected and severe flood warnings mean danger to life. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have their own services. Sign up with your postcode, and add the Floodline number, 0345 988 1188, to your phone.
Make a short grab-bag: insurance details, a torch, a phone charger, medication, ID and your key documents in a waterproof bag. Know where your stopcock, gas shut-off and electrical consumer unit are, because you may need to turn them off.
What to do when a flood is coming
Move people and pets first, then valuables and documents upstairs.
Turn off gas, electricity and water at the mains if it is safe to do so. Never touch electrical equipment standing in water.
Lift furniture, rugs and electrical goods off the floor, and unplug appliances.
Photograph and film the home as it is before the water arrives, if time allows.
Do not wade through floodwater, because it can hide hazards and carry sewage.
Leave if told to, and take the grab-bag.
After a flood: making the claim
Call your insurer as soon as you can, with your policy number to hand. Most insurers have a 24-hour claims line. Ask whether they will appoint a loss adjuster and whether they will arrange emergency accommodation. Under many policies, alternative accommodation is covered while the home is unfit to live in.
Protect the evidence
Photograph and film everything before you move or throw anything away, including high-water marks on walls.
Keep damaged items until the loss adjuster has seen them, unless they are a health hazard.
Keep receipts for emergency costs, such as taxis, hotels, hire of dehumidifiers and cleaning.
Do not start permanent repairs until the insurer agrees, but do take reasonable steps to limit further damage.
Drying and repairs take time
A flooded house is not just a wet carpet problem. Walls and floors can take months to dry fully, and rushing the redecoration can trap moisture and cause mould. Ask the loss adjuster about a drying certificate, and do not accept that the home is “ready” until moisture readings confirm it. Our guide to damp and mould covers what to check after the water has gone.
Buying or selling a home in a flood-risk area
If you are buying, check the flood risk on gov.uk before you offer, ask the seller about past flooding, and ask your solicitor to review the search results. Get an insurance quote before you exchange, not after, because you may find that cover is dearer or has a bigger excess than you expected. If you are selling, you must answer enquiries honestly about previous flooding, and a documented history of resilience measures and claims helps you.
Lenders also care. A mortgage on a high-risk home may require evidence that you can insure it, so speak to your broker early if the property is at higher risk.
What to do in the next 30 minutes
Search your postcode on the gov.uk long-term flood risk service and save a screenshot.
Sign up for flood warnings for your area.
Check your home insurance documents for flood cover, the excess and the sum insured.
Photograph each room and the outside of your home, and save them in one place.
Find your stopcock, gas shut-off and consumer unit, and make sure everyone at home knows where they are.
You can keep your insurance documents, dated photos and receipts in one place in your free Home+ account, so they are ready when a claim needs them.
FAQ
Is Flood Re an insurance company? No. Flood Re is a reinsurance scheme that your home insurer can use to cover the flood risk on your property. You buy your policy from a normal insurer or broker, not from Flood Re.
Does Flood Re apply to every home? No. It generally covers homes built before 2009 in council tax bands A to H, including buy-to-let, but not businesses, and the rules for flats and leasehold blocks are more specific. Check Flood Re’s published criteria or ask your broker.
Will Flood Re make my flood insurance cheap? It caps the flood element by council tax band, which makes cover affordable for many people in higher-risk areas. Your total premium still depends on your excess, claims history, cover levels and the insurer.
Can I still get insurance if my house has flooded before? Usually yes, if the home is eligible for Flood Re, although you may pay a higher excess. Disclose the history honestly, because a missed disclosure can put a later claim at risk.
What should I do first when my home floods? Get people and pets to safety, turn off the mains if it is safe, then call your insurer. Take photos before you clear anything away.
How long does it take to dry out a flooded house? It depends on the depth of water and the construction, but weeks to months is common. Do not redecorate until moisture readings confirm that walls and floors have dried.
