Landlords all at sea if they claim for flood damage

A new report by Which? reveals that landlords claiming flood damage may struggle to get compensation due to insurers’ restrictive definitions of storms and floods. The analysis of 133 insurance policies found that nearly a third (32%) contained potentially unfair flood definitions, while a fifth (20%) had questionable storm definitions. Major insurers like Ageas, Aviva, and Axa were among those flagged.

Some policies exclude flood damage if water enters a home too slowly, while storm claims have been rejected due to insufficient wind speeds during heavy rain. Over half of home insurance policies lack a clear flood definition, leaving customers uncertain about coverage.

Which? urges the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) to investigate whether insurers’ definitions comply with consumer protection laws and take enforcement action where necessary. The FCA is encouraged to issue new guidance to ensure fairer coverage.