Thanks to the devastation wreaked at the end of last year by storms Desmond, Eva and Frank, insurance claims from flooded home and business owners have climbed to more than 15,000, figures from the Association of British Insurers (ABI) have revealed.
Building repairs are now underway, with insurers spending almost £27.5 million on alternative accommodation for those affected while these repairs take place. It’s thought that the final bill for all the work that needs doing will reach £1.3 billion.
The average cost for each domestic claim as a result of the floods is approximately £50,000, higher than usual and reflective of just how much damage was caused by flood waters in certain locations.
It can take a long time for flood-damaged properties to be repaired because the drying stage can be particularly lengthy. During a flood, water seeps into the brickwork and structure of the building, and said building must be completely dried out before any repairs begin. If not completely dried out, even more problems could arise for the homeowner in the future.
“Repairing a flooded building cannot be rushed because of the importance of making sure it is properly dried out before repairs are done. The work needed to fully restore every single property affected in December continues with the same sense of urgency as in the immediate aftermath,” manager of general insurance policy with the ABI Mark Shepherd said.
Here at Freyssinet, we offer our clients a range of assessment, repair and strengthening resources, and use the latest methods and materials to come up with solutions to a huge range of problems. To find out more, get in touch today.