All these 20 FloodSax alternative sandbags came from this one easy to carry box FloodSax sandless sandbags can hold back a torrent of floodwater In their dry state FloodSax soak up leaks, drips and spills, often in the hardest to reach places

Record breaking insurance payouts for flooding … but FloodSax alternative sandbags can cut that cost down for the sake of a few pounds

Insurance claims caused by heavy rain and storms have reached record levels in the UK with tens of thousands of people suffering from the misery of flooding.

The Association of British Insurers has revealed that the value of weather-related damage claims to all the country’s insurance companies reached £573m in 2023 which is the highest on record and 36% greater than the year before when it was £421m.

This massive rise was largely fuelled by the succession of storms, including Babet, Ciaran and Debi that struck last autumn. Storm damage claims from homeowners caused by high winds and debris totalled £133m but subsequent flooding added more than double that figure, £286m, and now represents half of all weather-related claims.

A further £153m in weather claims came from burst pipes with most happening in the first three months of 2023 at the tail end of a cold winter. Non-weather-related water damage such as water leaks from faulty plumbing or appliances like washing machines, fridges and dishwashers was up 20%.

The sky-high cost was also fuelled by the spiralling prices to replace items, make repairs or provide alternative accommodation.

One major European insurance company is now providing a British invention to help keep its payout costs down. The company provides its customers with FloodSax alternative sandbags as they are multi-purpose and can be used both inside and out.

FloodSax come vacuum-packed in fives and so are space-saving to store but immerse them in water and the gelling polymer inside the FloodSax absorbs and retains water so the FloodSax expands into an instant alternative sandbag that can be quickly and easily built into barriers to keep floodwater out in the first place.

In their dry state the gelling polymer inside FloodSax can soak up water dripping or leaking inside buildings to stop damage from spreading and they are used extensively like this in homes, businesses and public buildings such as supermarkets and hospitals. They are very thin with a large surface area so can be slipped underneath leaking radiators, boilers, sinks and water pipes.

Lucy Bailey from Yorkshire company Environmental Defence Systems Ltd which invented the FloodSax said: “We have now sold around three million FloodSax worldwide since 2007 and they are the original sandless sandbag. They are very space-saving to store so homeowners and businesses can keep them tucked away ready to use 24 hours a day, seven days a week and 365 days a year. Local authorities have no responsibility to provide sandbags or any other flood defence device – it’s up to people to protect their own property from flooding.”

FloodSax retail for around £140 for a box of 20 yet can save tens of thousands of pounds in water damage to floors, electrics, furniture and walls.

ABI policy adviser Louise Clark said: “Extreme weather events may not feel so rare as they used to as we grapple with a changing climate. Insurers continue to be there for affected homeowners, with payouts hitting record levels after a particularly difficult autumn and winter with seemingly countless storms leading to significant flooding.

“While insurance will continue to protect homeowners and businesses we can’t afford to lose momentum on our flood defence programme and we continue to press the government for further investment in flood defence and maintenance, as well as calling for changes to the planning system to discourage building where flooding might be more likely.”