Your Home - 0870 556 1161
Security
- Make sure your premises are as secure as possible as looting can be a
problem if you are away from your home - Carry out regular visits to the property and look for any breaches in security that may have occurred
- Consider taking valuable items away from the property
- Don't assume your security safe is water-tight. If this is on the ground floor of your property, you may wish to empty it and take contents away. You may want to store these in a bank safety deposit
Property
- Keep items off the ground where possible, especially items easily damaged by water. Remember the water may be contaminated
- Lightweight and portable items should preferably be moved to upper floors if possible
- Make sure you protect your vital documents and take them to a safe place (this can include passports, driving licences, insurance documents, company documents etc)
- Be careful what you dispose of without notifying your insurer
- Photograph the extent of damage – this may assist any claim you make
Personal Safety
- Do not enter any property alone always make sure someone knows where you are or accompanies you
- Make sure all electrical power in the affected area has been isolated. You may need to contact your Regional Electricity Company to check this
- Ensure gas supplies are turned off at the mains
- Do not use candles or illumination with a naked flame
- Be aware of simple things like doors and windows swelling from water ingress. Ensure that you have a clear access to and from the building
- Do not enter basement levels or other low lying areas where water may be deeper and where harmful vapours or gases may form
- Because of the nature of flooding, sewage and other contaminants can be carried by the water and there is a risk of coming into contact with a variety of harmful bacteria. Avoid direct skin contact where possible and ensure that good personal hygiene is practised using an anti bacterial soap or hand wash
- Make sure you report any outbreaks of stomach upsets or ailments to the medical authorities in your area
- Avoid taking young children into affected areas where they can be at risk, remember waist deep water will be over a child’s head in most cases
- Keep children under control at all times and ensure that they cannot stray into areas where they could be in immediate danger
- Do not use tins or other containers that have suffered emersion in water as these may be contaminated
Your Pet
- If you own a pet make sure it does not drink or become immersed in flood water as it may ingest bacteria and other chemical pollutants causing illness
- If your pet has been immersed make sure you seek advice from a veterinary surgeon as soon as possible
- Keep animals and pets under control as much as possible and ensure they are not in any distress
External Web Links
The following websites could provide additional assistance:
http://www.hpa.org.uk/flooding/default.htm
http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk
The information contained within this document is intended as a general guide only and is not necessarily comprehensive. AXA Insurance will not be liable for loss or damages arising, in contract, tort or otherwise, directly or indirectly from the use of or reliance upon any information contained in this document.