Higher insurance premiums flood in

Holders of home contents and building insurance policies are beginning to count the cost of the summer's unprecedented flooding.

According to the AA Insurance Premium Index, the average cost of annual buildings cover rose 3 per cent to £215.51 between July and September. Likewise, the price of home contents insurance increased 2.3 per cent to £149.90 during the same period.

Worse could be on the way as the insurance industry tries to claw back the £3bn it lost as a consequence of the flooding. The AA estimates that the cost of buildings cover could climb by 6 per cent before the end of the year.

"We now see the result of that devastation reflected in premiums as insurers meet the cost of drying out and repairing homes as well as the temporary rehousing of families," said John Close at AA Insurance.

It's not just home cover that is going to become more expensive. During the floods, thousands of cars had to be written off, and as a result motorists are having to pay more for their insurance. The cost of insuring a car on a comprehensive basis rose 1.3 per cent between July and September.