flooded... insurance what can they claim for?

[hedgefinder]

A family member just had their garage and utility room flooded out ( luckily it stopped before the level got higher than the house threshold although a number of their neighbours werent so lucky), it got to around 5 inches of floodwater and raw sewerage as their front garden and drains overflowed last week.
I was around there today and told them NOT to start cleaning up as the insurance company would want to inspect the damage, but as its not the main house I am unsure as to what will be covered?
They had a lot of fitted furniture in their utility room ( now all saturated and wrecked - cupboards, fridge freezer, new washer and dryer. and a load of tools including 2 SNAP ON rollcabs and furniture stored in one side of the garage. There is also an old 1970s single seat race car covered in indoor dust sheets which hasnt been inspected yet.
Would the insurance company take the appliances away and have them cleaned? - as they were in 5 inches of sewerage I would think they would have to strip the whole machine to clean them properly??
also does anyone have any idea if any damage to the race car would be covered on the household insurance?

Edited by hedgefinder on Sunday 1st July 20:08

[XG332]

hedgefinder said:

I think there may be a chance that with it being so low that the engine and gearbox may be filled with water..

Edited by hedgefinder on Sunday 1st July 20:10

I highly doubt it. As the air intake, manifold and engine would have to be below the water line (op said 5 inches)

[bencollins4]

Best thing to do is read the policy documents, then maybe call the insurer?

Depends entirely on the cover they have.

[hedgefinder]

XG332 said:

I highly doubt it. As the air intake, manifold and engine would have to be below the water line (op said 5 inches)

I realise its unlikely but the fact that its been sat for over 20 years with inevitably dried out seals round the drive flanges etc and possible breather/ dry sump tank etc etc - its a race car not a modern road car - but who knows no one has even looked at it yet. I beleive that the water level on that side reached above the level of the drive shafts.
Dont know whether its even worth mentioning it to the insurance company tomorrow or not??

Edited by hedgefinder on Sunday 1st July 20:27

Edited by hedgefinder on Sunday 1st July 20:29

[s3fella]

How are their necks feeling?

[XG332]

I would imagine it better to mention it now rather than phone up later to tell them.

[surveyor]

When my parents had their house broken into and some wheels stolen (don't ask!), there was an exclusion on anything car related - theory being that if it's a car it should have it's own policy.

[hedgefinder]

s3fella said:

How are their necks feeling?

FYI they have never made a claim on their house insurance in 40 years so go and do one smart arse.

[hedgefinder]

surveyor said:

When my parents had their house broken into and some wheels stolen (don't ask!), there was an exclusion on anything car related - theory being that if it's a car it should have it's own policy.

TBH I had a feeling that may have been the case, apart from the silt i hope its come out unscathed. They dont live in an area that ever floods and have lived there for the last 40 years, just goes to show how unusual the weather was last week.

[Pontoneer]

That may well be the case re car - some classic insurers now include parts of laid up or under restoration cars even if said parts are stored in the house and away from the car .

I certainly wouldn't want to eat food from a fridge which had once been dunked in raw sewage either - this item ought to be replaced .

Edited by Pontoneer on Sunday 1st July 20:54

[s3fella]

hedgefinder said:

s3fella said:

How are their necks feeling?

FYI they have never made a claim on their house insurance in 40 years so go and do one smart arse.

FYI you're a miserable with no sense of humour.


Boo hoo go cry to mommy.

Edited by s3fella on Sunday 1st July 20:55

[hedgefinder]

the car had never been subject to any kind of specific insurance policy in its life as far as I am aware, being a race car the old guy never even considered it.

[hedgefinder]

s3fella said:

FYI you're a miserable with no sense of humour.


Boo hoo go cry to mommy.

Edited by s3fella on Sunday 1st July 20:55

my sense of humour would only come into it if it were at all humorous to anyone but you..... went home and cried to mommy, she just told me to ignore pricks on the internet.

[Deva Link]

To be fair, the title does bring to mind "what can they get out of this".

I never understand the "can we claim?" type of question - you can can claim for anything, whether you'll get paid or not is another matter.

Anyway, by now your family member should have the answers from the insurance company, so maybe you return the courtesy extended by others and provide the answers? I'd be interested to know if the insurance company cheerfully paid for stuff that was installed below the house damp-proof course level and whether they paid for the tools.