Is your business ready for winter flooding?
The Met Office has warned of a “heightened potential” for wet, windy, stormy weather this autumn. After a summer of record temperatures and widespread drought, it’s easy to assume the risk is low, but a wet winter is now expected, so it’s a good moment to check how ready your business is.
In this article, we’ll explain what’s happening, give you a practical flood checklist, and set out what to ask your insurer.
What’s happening
The Government has set up a new Flood and Drought Resilience Taskforce. It was due to hold its first meeting on 14 October, hosted by Defra minister Emma Hardy, and brings together the Met Office, the Environment Agency, mayoral authorities and the farming, water and insurance industries.
The Government says at least £10.5 billion is committed up to 2036 to protect homes, businesses and critical infrastructure from flooding. That’s welcome, but defences take time to build, and they can’t stop every flood. The Environment Agency has urged people to check their flood risk, sign up for flood alerts and make a flood plan, and those steps apply to businesses too.
Why flooding is such a problem for businesses
A flood doesn’t just damage the building. It can ruin stock, machinery, computers and paperwork. It can also stop you trading while repairs are done, and that’s often where the biggest financial hit lands.
You don’t have to be next to a river to be affected, either. Heavy rain can overwhelm drains and run across roads and yards, so premises that have never flooded before can still be caught out. That’s why a plan matters even if you’ve been lucky so far. Having one in place means your team knows what to do, calmly and quickly, rather than working it out on the day, and it can reduce both the damage and the time you’re out of action.
A practical flood checklist
- Check your flood risk. Use the Environment Agency’s flood risk information for your postcode and for the places your suppliers and customers operate.
- Sign up for flood alerts. Make sure more than one person receives them, including out of hours.
- Write a simple flood plan. Who does what, who has keys, who calls whom. Keep a printed copy somewhere that isn’t at risk.
- Protect what matters most. Raise stock, equipment and records off the floor where you can. Know where to switch off gas, electricity and water.
- Back up your data. Keep copies of important records, contracts and insurance details away from the premises or in secure cloud storage.
- Check drains, gutters and roofs. Blocked drainage can cause damage even when there is no river nearby.
- Keep photos of your stock and premises. Dated images can help if you ever need to make a claim.
- Know who to call. Keep your insurer’s claims number and your broker’s details to hand.
What to ask about your insurance
Flood cover can be included as standard in some commercial property policies, offered as an optional extra in others, and subject to conditions or limits in some. It really does depend on your policy, so it’s worth asking:
- Is flood cover included, and are there any limits or higher excesses?
- Is the sum insured still right? Rebuild costs and stock values change.
- Do I have business interruption cover, and is the period long enough for repairs and restocking?
- Does my policy cover temporary premises, extra costs or loss of income while we’re closed?
- Are there conditions I need to meet, such as how soon I must notify a claim?
How L Wood can help
We can review your commercial property and business interruption cover with you, check your sums insured and explain the wording in plain English. We can also speak to insurers on your behalf and share practical risk management advice before the weather turns.
Talk to us
For tailored support or to discuss your options, get in touch with our team today. You can call us on 01274 515747 or email mail@lwood.co.uk, Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 5pm.