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People may be encouraged to flood proof their homes if there was a VAT exemption on the cost of putting up such weather defences, it has been claimed.

Money would be saved by the government and households in the long term if flood repair and defence work was made cheaper, says Graeme Trudgill, technical and corporate affairs executive for the British Insurance Brokers Association (BIBA).

And while a loan may cover the costs of making a home weather proof this wet and windy winter, a large amount of money could be required for people to replace damaged items until an insurance payment comes through.

Indeed, Mr Trudgill says a lot more can be done to provide adequate flood protection, stating "anything we can do to help with the defences of the property and making it more affordable is a very sensible thing to do in our opinion".

BIBA has also called on insurance firms to offer improved terms and conditions or discounts to those property owners who act to reduce flood risk.

As such, taking out secured loans could not only help households cover the cost of storm proofing a home, but may also lead to lower priced insurance policies, further saving money.