The insurance firm Aviva has signed up two new suppliers to its network and is advising businesses to fully assess the risks when it comes to flooding .

Technical and risk solutions manager for the company, Ted Kendrick, has stated that although warm weather is forecast for this summer, fluctuations in temperature can often bring about flash flooding in some areas of the UK.

Mr Kendrick is warning business owners to examine if the area surrounding their premises is prone to floods and whether there are any waterways nearby in order to evaluate the degree to which a flood would impact operations. He explained: It is always wise to prepare for the worst rather than wait until it is too late, particularly as the cost of the damage caused could be even more devastating to businesses in the current economic climate,

With the UK experiencing a spell of heavy rain earlier this month, Confused.com reported a rise in the number of people enquiring about home insurance as the risk of flooding and structural damage becomes more significant.