Flooding: five things you need to know about insuring your property

The destruction in the north of England brings into stark focus the effects of storms on housing. We look at the wider situation

1. Millions of households are at risk from flooding

Around 5m, or a sixth of the properties in England, are deemed to have a higher than normal risk of flooding - but only around half are from rivers or the sea. The rest are at risk from rising groundwater, sewer problems and flash flooding. According to the Association of British Insurers, just 55% of those living in flood risk areas are aware that their home is at risk. At least 350,000 properties are considered to be at such high risk that the industry accepts they are not a viable commercial risk for the industry. You can check your risk of flooding at Checkmyfloodrisk.co.uk or the Environment Agency website.