Homeowners have been urged to use today's severe weather warning as a reminder to properly insure themselves.

According to one price comparison website, 40 per cent of properties have no insurance, while 900,000 are sitting on flood plains.

Moneysupermarket.com said that homeowners need to make sure they were properly protected, which meant insuring their homes and cars against damage from the elements.

"People in Wales and south-west England have been waking up to 80mph winds and the risk of coastal flooding," said Richard Mason, the site's director.

"With the threat of worse conditions on the way, I urge people to act now. Homeowners whose properties are at risk of flooding must have good-quality home insurance."

Last summer, when Britain was hit by the worst flooding it had seen in a generation, Moneysupermarket.com saw a 300 per cent increase in home insurance applications.

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