Homeowners who could potentially come under threat from flood waters need to make sure they check and update their insurance policies, a leading UK agency has said.

James Harrison, chief executive of online comparison service Insurancewide.com, says that householders should check whether they are eligible for any extra benefits such as an emergency payout to cover temporary accommodation and emergency supplies if their home has to be evacuated.

They also should also check their policy's small print for any exclusions that could cost them money in the long-term.

"If you're in danger of being affected by floods in the next few days, check now what kind of damage your buildings insurance and your home contents insurance policies will cover and whether or not you need to update them, particularly if you have new possessions and haven't increased your cover limit recently," Mr Harrison commented.

"Buildings insurance will cover the damage to the structure of your property and home contents insurance will cover your possessions."

He went on to say that flood-afflicted individuals should make sure they contact their insurer immediately and be certain to keep a record of damage and a copy of all correspondence with their insurer.