Home insurance company offers tips on making a claim

Home insurance provider Lloyds TSB Insurance has offered advice to homeowners on how to make a claim if their house is damaged by flooding.

With flood warnings issued across the UK this week, the home insurance specialist has reminded insurance policyholders to make contact with their provider as soon as possible if their property is affected.

And home insurance customers have also been told to ignore the temptation to switch on electricity and gas supplies after a flood - since this could potentially cause further damage to their houses and even endanger lives in extreme cases.

However, Phil Loney, managing director of Lloyds TSB Insurance, has reassured home insurance customers that flood claims can be resolved promptly.

With the right preparation and know-how, it is often possible to get things back to normal relatively quickly, he said.

If you have been hit by floods, you should get in touch with your insurer straight away.

The Cornish village of Boscastle was the scene of some of the most high-profile flash floods of recent times, when heavy rainfall caused many properties to subside in 2004.

Many homeowners were left needing to make claims on their home insurance policies to help finance repair costs.