Important tips for floods on your doorstep

The weather remains rainy and there is no sign of the flood situation easing in some regions of Germany. Find out here how residents can protect themselves and their property.

The flood situation continues to cause problems for people in the affected regions of Germany. There is great concern that the situation will worsen. For residents, this means that they need to act quickly. Simple measures often help to limit damage. Some things should be avoided at all costs. Dos and don'ts - an overview:

General tips in the event of flooding

What you should do:

Keepyourself regularly informed: stay up to date with local news and weather reports on the radio and internet, advises the Federal Office of Civil Protection and Disaster Assistance (BBK). Use warning apps such as the NINA app and pay attention to announcements from the authorities. An overview of the risk situation can be found on the website of the cross-state flood portal. The information is also available via an app.
Secure your property: Take measures to protect your home. This includes raising furniture, sealing doors and windows and securing hazardous substances such as chemicals.
Provide emergency luggage: In case you have to leave your house or apartment, keep important documents such as family documents and IDs, medications and emergency equipment handy - preferably in a backpack.
Turn off thepower: There may be a danger to life in the vicinity of flooded electrical installations. You should therefore switch off the electrical system before entering flooded cellar rooms. The Initiative Elektro+, an association of the electrical industry, points this out. If you have to leave the house because other rooms are also at risk of flooding, you should flip the main fuse switch.

You should not do this:

Enter danger areas: Avoid riverbank areas due to the risk of undercutting or break-offs. Flooded or partially flooded roads must not be used, according to the BKK.
Disaster tourism: Avoid visiting flood areas out of curiosity. This can hinder rescue workers and pose additional risks. It can also endanger fleeing animals, according to the German Wildlife Foundation.
Consume contaminated food: When cleaning up houses, cellars and gardens after a flood, contact with contaminated water can cause hygiene problems, for example due to germs. Food that has come into contact with flood water should not be consumed, according to the consumer advice center.
Exceptions: undamaged tins and food in drinks cartons that have been boiled before use. If in doubt, it is better to dispose of the food than to expose yourself and others to a health risk.

Tips for the car

Cars can be damaged by natural hazards such as flooding. This is usually paid for by a previously taken out partially comprehensive insurance policy. This partially comprehensive cover is also part of fully comprehensive insurance. However, if you only have compulsory motor vehicle liability insurance, you will have to pay for the damage out of your own pocket. The ADAC and the German Insurance Association (GDV) provide advice.

What you should do:

Contact theinsurance company: Take photos for the insurance company to document the situation and the damage. Have documents such as proof of purchase ready. And inform the insurer as soon as possible before placing repair orders.
Pay attention to hazard warnings: Whether the insurance company pays for the damage in full depends on the specific situation. Partial casco usually covers the damage after flooding, for example.
However, if you have parked your car in an area for which there was a flood warning, you may jeopardize your insurance cover. According to the GDV, if the car was not driven out of the danger zone despite the possibility of doing so, the insurer can reduce its benefits or, in extreme cases, even cancel them completely.

You should not do this:

Risk consequential damage: If water has entered the car, the following applies in any case, according to the ADAC: never start the engine. The car should be pushed or towed away to avoid the risk of further damage.

Tips for your house or apartment

Damage caused by flooding in your own four walls is only insured if you have taken out natural hazard insurance. This is available as an add-on for home insurance and household contents insurance. However, what is insured depends on the insurance conditions agreed in each case. For example, according to the consumer advice centers, some tariffs for flood damage only cover the overflowing of surface waters, but not flood damage caused by heavy rainfall.

What you should do:

Report thedamage quickly: The insurance company should be informed of the damage as soon as possible. Ask them how to proceed - and here too: before you award contracts to tradesmen. The consumer advice centers advise you to get the insurer's statements in writing.
Reactquickly to flooding: If there is only a small amount of water in the basement, you should document the damage using photos or videos, for example, and then start skimming and draining promptly, the consumer advice centers advise.