The FSA, which regulates the insurance market, wants to know the extent of likely claims from Katrina and whether firms have enough capital to meet them.

Experts fear Katrina may be the most costly natural disaster in history, as insured losses could hit $60bn (32bn).

The request was part of its standard supervisory duty, the FSA stressed.

Routine

calculations of Katrina’s financial cost are unlikely to be known for some time, such is the scale of the damage across the south-west of the US.

Loss adjustors have not yet been able to travel to the worst affected regions to assess the damage.

It is a matter of interest whether insurers have been affected Financial Services Authority Cost of Katrina mounts

The FSA said it had contacted UK-based insurers to ascertain what their financial position was in regard to Katrina.

“It is a routine part of the supervisory process anytime there are potential losses within the insurance market,” said an FSA spokesman.

“It is a matter of interest whether insurers have been affected but I don’t think this is anything out of the ordinary.”

Lloyd’s deadline

Lloyd’s of London members have been asked to provide information about the impact of Katrina on their business by this Monday.

Lloyd’s has said it expects ” claims” arising from damage to property and to commercial facilities, particularly oil rigs and other offshore energy facilities in the Gulf of Mexico.

However, it has said it is “well-equipped” to manage the financial impact of the disaster.

Several British insurers have already released preliminary estimates of their potential losses, with Amlin saying Katrina could cost it 60m.

This was despite the crime making up only about 1% of claims by volume.

Axa’s research also showed a 20% rise in claim arising from arson in the last three months of 2006 - with Glasgow firms suffering most from it.

In the year as a whole, the number of crime-related insurance claims made by companies rose by a fifth, it said.

The insurer said that crime against businesses, especially small and medium firms, was not taken enough.

‘Extremely concerned’

The average claim for arson amounts to about 40,000.

While crime against individuals continues to generate significant column inches, public awareness of business crime remains low Neil Mercier Axa

This compares with an average insurance payout for all crimes of just under 4,000.

Axa dubbed Glasgow “the arson capital of the United Kingdom”.

It said that 10.6% of all claims settled in the city resulted from the crime - more than double the national average.

While the number of crime-related insurance claims grew by 20%, malicious damage, including vandalism and graffiti, fell by 2% in the period.

“We are extremely concerned that business crime rates across the UK continue to rise,” said AXA’s head of property, Neil Mercier.

“We are concerned that while crime against individuals continues to generate significant column inches, public awareness of business crime remains low.”

I have put an offer in on a flat - is the estate agent obliged to pass it on?

When an offer is made for a property, the estate agent must pass it to the seller promptly and in writing, except those which the seller has told the estate agent not to be passed on - for example, all those below a certain price.

The estate agent does not have to give you details of other offers they have received.

I have been told the seller has received a higher offer. Should I believe that?

Badly-handled offers are one of the top complaints at the estate agents’ ombudsman.

People who try to increase the price of a property after accepting an offer can cause heartbreak for a buyer.

But even if it is ethically, if you are the vendor and are offered an extra 20,000, then you are likely to accept.

But could a higher offer simply be a ruse to get you to part with more money? It can be difficult for the buyer to know.

According to the Office of Fair Trading (OFT), an agent must not invent a bid or claim to have a cash or first-time buyer unless this is true.

Nor can they state that they have a potential buyer unless this is true.

The OFT suggests people should demand to see evidence if they have suspicions.

This can be difficult in practice, though, particularly if you want to keep on good terms with the agent.

Can I force the estate agent or seller to take the house off the market, or stop advertising, after I have had my offer accepted?

You can not force an estate agent or seller to take the property off the market, or stop advertising - just because you don’t want to lose your dream home.

You probably fear being gazumped. But the agent is working to get the best price for the seller, and is employed by him - not you.

WHAT IS GAZUMPING? If you put in an offer to buy a house which is accepted by the seller, but then the seller decides to go back on the agreement and accept a higher offer from a different bidder, then you have been gazumped.

However, some will offer to do so out of goodwill, or if you are seen as a good buyer, for example, because you are not in a chain.

Can an estate agent demand a deposit?

Yes, in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, but the estate agent should not hold a deposit or any other money unless they are covered by adequate insurance.

And all money must be held in a separate client bank or building society account or accounts, as set out in the Estate Agents (Accounts) Regulations.

Receipts for deposits must be provided.

Estate agents can be known for using rather “creative” language to describe properties. Is this allowed?

One of the most common gripes handled by the Ombudsman for Estate Agents are “inaccurate sales particulars”.

While some artistic licence may be acceptable, it is an offence for an estate agent to make certain statements about a property which are false or misleading.

Can estate agents put for sale or sold signs outside empty homes?

This is generally seen as an “undesirable practice” by the authorities, and estate agents can be prosecuted.

Can the agent hit me with extra charges - and misleading contracts?

Estate agents must state either the exact amount you will be charged, or when this is not possible, provide details about how the costs will be worked out or give an estimate.

Top tips Find an agent which belongs to an scheme Be aware of the agents’ legal Remember the agent is working for the seller, not the buyer Complaints about agents should be made to your local authority’s trading standards office If the agent cannot sort out a problem and he is signed up to the OEA code of practice, you can take your complaint to the Ombudsman Do not use the same legal adviser as the seller Source: Office of Fair Trading

According to research by Which?, contracts can be badly worded and misleading.

It warns people to watch out for terms which could catch them out.

For example, if you opt for sole selling rights, and then find a buyer yourself, you will still have to pay the estate agent.

Another one to watch out for, if you are a seller, is a “ready, willing and able purchaser contract”.

You will have to pay once a buyer, who is able to exchange unconditional contracts, is found.

This still applies if you withdraw your property before the sale is completed.

In this scenario, you may also be charged for the cost of “For Sale” boards and advertising.

Can an estate agent discriminate against me because I don’t want its financial advice services?

No.

Estate agents must treat all buyers “fairly”, under the terms of the Estate Agents Act 1979.

So-called “preferential listing” is also not permitted.

This is when buyers are told they will be put on an open and fast-track priority or preferential service list if they take financial services, such as insurance or a mortgage, offered by the estate agent.

Estate agents are duty-bound to treat buyers and sellers “fairly”

However, with limited sanctions in place, Which? believes it can be very difficult for consumers to challenge these sorts of practices when they occur.

What about conflicts of interests an agent may have?

If you are selling or buying a property that your estate agent or his/her close associates wants to buy, you must be told promptly and in writing.

Who can I complain to, if it all goes wrong?

For a long time, many consumers have been frustrated by the fact that the estate agency industry is self-regulated.

Contact addresses The Ombudsman for Estate Agents Scheme: 01722 333306 The National Association of Estate Agents (NAEA): 01926 496800

The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors and the National Association of Estate Agents operate internal complaints procedures.

The Ombudsman for Estate Agents offers a complaints service for its member agencies.

The ombudsman can award compensation and publishes a list of members on its website.

Under the government’s Consumer Act, all estate agents have to belong to an industry body with an ombudsman scheme attached.

This should boost consumer access to a complaints resolution procedure. Prior to the legislation, many large estate agency groups did not belong to a industry body or the ombudsman scheme.

Who else can I complain to?

If a buyer or seller believes that an agency has failed to meet its obligations they could complain to their local trading standards department.

The OFT can also issue warnings and banning orders if it has sufficient evidence of a breach of law.

Where do I go to for further information?

The OFT has a free booklet, called “Using an estate agent”, which is available from its website.

The guidance covers England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

The of British Insurers (ABI) said the extra government spending was needed to counter an increased risk of flood.

The group added that nearly 600,000 UK homes were at risk of flood.

Insurers will only continue to offer flood insurance to consumers if “defences are kept up to an adequate standard”, the ABI warned.

The most recent estimate of the number of homes at risk of flood is much higher than the government’s original estimate of 220,000.

Future government expenditure on flood defences is based on this lower estimate, set in 2002.

The ABI argues that because many more homes are at risk of flood than were estimated in 2002, then government expenditure needs to rise at a faster pace.

“The new, higher estimates of homes and businesses at risk means that the government needs to invest more in flood defences,” Stephen Sklaroff, ABI deputy director general, said.

“This makes good economic sense for home owners, businesses, and the taxpayer.”

In 2005, insurers promised they would continue to insure at-risk where new flood defences would be in place within five years, the ABI said.

The mix of sun, fun and the English tongue has led tens of thousands of British people to settle in Florida. But when the novelty wears off, many find themselves isolated, trapped and in fear of falling ill.

Remember Dawn from The Office? The long-suffering receptionist who, along with sales rep Tim, provided the hit comedy’s sexual tension.

When she moved to Florida with the fiance she would later dump for our hero, she ended up living a twilight life as an illegal immigrant, scrambling to make ends meet.

Dawn’s tale was the dark and cloudy side of the Sunshine State - but it is also a slice of the genuine reality for some of the uncounted Britons who live in Florida.

Seduced by the sun and glamorous lifestyle, and helped no end by a string of up-beat property shows, Florida has become one of the top for at least 100,000 British expats seeking a new life.

But many of the “snowbirds” who have made the leap across the Pond to find a new life (thankfully, without adopting the pastel suits of Miami Vice) say that those back in Blighty fail to see the bigger picture.

Theme park, fantasy home

Florida’s magnetic pull across the Atlantic began with Disney World, which opened in 1971. As air tickets got cheaper and Orlando became a hot holiday destination, Brits learned to love Florida.

BRIT ABROAD? GET INVOLVED Have Your Say Share your pictures

The state became imprinted on the British imagination as people bought into rental apartments and the holiday homes springing up along the Atlantic seaboard.

The British communities have continued to grow from those early beginnings in the Orlando fun belt. Today, the sprawling southern state metro area of Broward County, Miami and greater Fort Lauderdale is home to tens of thousands of Britons.

One of the biggest recent trends has been for British companies keen to get into Latin American markets to locate in the Miami area to capitalise on the state’s virtual dual English-Spanish economy.

And the Brits know they come with a certain competitive advantage: a general warm welcome from Americans who can’t get enough of the accent.

Julia Eastwood is one of many British estate agents (realtors in American) in the state whose job is to try to make those dreams come true.

What the tourists see: Miles and miles of beach

And when you see some of the waterfront, palm grove homes her firm has to offer in the Pompano Beach area, you can see why people find it attractive. But with the average family home starting at $350,000 (187,000) in a half-decent area, the prices are not peanuts.

“People start their research at home or perhaps when staying with friends in the state. But they often don’t have the local knowledge,” she says, showing the BBC around a luxurious canal-side home.

“So they will see something on the web for $60,000 and think it’s a bargain but in reality it’s a pretty bad area. That is where things start to go wrong. You have to be careful what you do rather than just jumping in.”

Sun, sea and insurance

And the reality is that when the initial dream fades, the daily grind can be a shock to many Brits who don’t truly understand America, say some expats.

MISSING HOME What do Brits abroad buy to remind them of home? Come back on Friday to find out More Brits want out Q&A: Brits Abroad

At the British Depot in Fort Lauderdale, it’s a busy day with customers stocking up on the things that remind them of home. Amid the union jacks, packets of crisps and Pot Noodles, nobody has a bad word to say about Americans - but they have words of warning.

Some of the shops’ former customers have disappeared since 9/11, having realised that their twilight existence as illegal immigrants; people who have never declared themselves to the authorities, had become unsustainable rather than a 20-something’s dream.

But even for many of the legal residents, it’s still hard, says business woman Tracey Ryder, a resident of 11 years.

“If you are going to succeed in America, you have to be a grafter in a way you are not in Britain,” she says. “Money can be tight and what you have in Florida is people who come to retire and sit on their money, which makes business hard.

“We’ve got a stable government - but we also have crooks and I think that if I could afford it, I would go home. I certainly would not educate kids here, no way.”

Looking for a dream: Julia Eastwood helps Brits move

Rita Fitton swapped Manchester for Florida in 1995 and has never looked back. Also a career woman, she believes the state gave her she would never have had at home.

“It’s a playground, I can go out every night and enjoy myself,” she says. “But the one thing that would make me go home is bad health because there is no NHS here. Here, they just want to know how you can pay, whether you have got enough or a credit card. I don’t want any part of that.”

And it’s this issue of health that nags the minds of many Brits in America. Michael Trace is 63 and left London in 1991 after selling his small business and looking for a financial adventure in property. He’s done well and is happy, fit and loves the Florida sun.

“But I can’t get health insurance at all,” he says. “They want $1,200 a month which is utterly ridiculous so I’m not insured - I’m one of the great number of people who aren’t.

“Without a doubt, if I were to get a serious illness, I would have to go back to the UK because if I paid the insurance it would break me.

“People arrive here without thinking about these things - and I think if they did think it through, there would be question marks over coming in the first place.”

In touch

Keith Allan, the British Consul in Miami, says British emigrants should think through what they are doing, rather than just hoping a dream turns out to be true.

“We had a case where one woman whose husband had died contacted us and said she had never got a Green Card proof of legal residence in the USA,” says Mr Allan.

“She was suddenly finding life very difficult and considering returning to the UK, even though she left years ago.

“Our point is that these things can happen very suddenly - and if they do, people need to know the implications and have some idea of what to do.”

The passage says “Without a doubt, if I were to get a serious illness, I would have to go back to the UK because if I paid the insurance it would break me. “When are we, the UK taxpayers, going to put pressure on our Govt to stop this abuse of the NHS?
Graham, Sunderland

I think it’s hypocritical that UK migrants settle in the US, enjoy the lifestyle and the low taxes but say they can’t afford health insurance and would come back here for free healthcare if they were ill - little better than foreign health tourists
Matt Munro, Bristol, UK

I went to university in Utah. Overall, I enjoyed the experience, but after four years, I was ready to come home again. American movies and TV pump out such a relentless stream of propaganda that people here imagine that life over there cannot be anything less than a dream. In reality, it’s a foreign country. Some things are indeed better than in Britain. Others are worse. For the most part, they’re just different.

Andrew, Cardiff, Wales

I emigrated from florida 15 years ago. I was born there. Florida remains a place of incredible intellectual, spiritual and cultural vacuity. How many times can you go to the mall, beach or the same cinema? It’s boring when compared to London/Europe. Visiting Disney leaves me empty.
Dayton Rogers, Dulwich, London

It’s good to see that Mr Trace is happy to not pay UK taxes for 15 years, but still take advantage of the UK health system when he needs to. If people leave they should leave and live life how it is lead in the country they go to. If he is unprepared to pay for healthcare, tough. Would he give me a free holiday at his home? I doubt it.
Adrian, Stockport

I will be leaving UK shores for a full-time fix of Florida very soon. The people are very friendly and my accent attracts attention everywhere I go. Things are so cheap here. I have a wardrobe packed with the same grey slacks and it cost me next to nothing.
Bobby, Formby

I don’t see why after years of not paying UK tax, that they should be able to come back and drain the NHS when they get ill!
Pete, Redhill

I think coming back here for medical treatment is fine, provided those people are still paying taxes in the UK. What is not fine is people enjoying the low taxes in the US - low partly because health care is not state provided - and then running back here to enjoy healthcare paid for by people still working in the UK, and still paying the high rates of tax.
Steve, London

I went to work in miami in 2000 after finishing university. I worked in the tourist industry for a cruise line and it was hell. Low pay, no time off and long days - the weather was lovely but if you are working you may as well be in an office in London. And besides you could not get a good cup of tea anywhere, I now work in London.

luke, southend, essex.

Sounds great. Live abroad in the sun, live the party lifestyle, enjoy the beaches, pay the US government taxes. When you’re too old or ill to stay, come home and be a burden on the NHS whom you have not paid a penny to for years. Thanks.
Jamie Davis, Bristol

Hang on a minute. I don’t see why people should get to turn their back on the UK and live abroad only to come back when they need to use the NHS? It’s hard enough paying all the Tax in this country as it is - without carrying people who havn’t paid anything while living in the sun who then return for a very expensive freebie.
Tim Bartlam, Aberdeen

My family and I have holidayed in Florida for two years on a trot and we fell in love with Orlando when we were married there in 2004. It is an amazing place to take the kids and if I ever won a huge amount on the Lottery it would be top of my list to move there but planned well and not until my children had been through school here. I agree with the comments above about not schooling your children in the U.S as they only learn their own history as opposed to that of the world.
I can’t afford to go this year and I am gutted but happy memories and the will to go back one day and do all the parks and eat in fabulaous restaurants as well as returning to the villa to put my aching limbs in the spa and pool is fantastic.
I would definately look into the “small print” before I moved there as their way of life is very different to the UK.
Sharon Lewis
Sharon Lewis, Neath UK

Great! Good old blighty. Not good enough to live in, but good enough to leach off when it comes to the NHS. Why don’t these people think before moving abroad??
Sara Brown, Warwick

I don’t know WHAT health insurance companies Michael was getting quotes from, but my health insurance while I was in America was lower than what I pay the NHS here each month - and there were no ques when I called for an appointment.
Mark,

The comments about flying back to England just to abuse the NHS are exactly why the goverment needs to crack down on who actually can use the NHS. If you (or someone you’re dependant on) aren’t paying UK taxes then why should you have any right to use what the rest of us back in the UK are paying for?
Ian, Leeds

The big attraction of the US is that the taxes there are low, but that’s because there isn’t an NHS as we know it. I’m so pleased that the Ex-pats can pocket the difference and then just fly-in and use what our additional taxes have paid for if they so need it…
Dave, Aberdeen

I have family from Florida & some still there, though I’m british. I’ve lived and worked there. It is still a great place to holiday, but I don’t think I would move there permanently. The lack of the NHS is part of it. The other is that we are used to our classes, but there is a lot of as well as mobility between them, and they are not solely tied to wealth, but in the US which claims to be classless, the culture is very stratified, and there is little communication between the not classes.
Chloe, Slough

Whilst it is true that health insurance is expensive, it is usually included with an average job. That’s not to say that millions of americans AREN’T insured (43 million at last count I believe) - but many of these are either self employed single people who choose not to, but a lot of the rest are the poorest group of non-legal immigrants. Nobody mentioned though, that there IS universal healthcare coverage for those over 65 in the form of Medicare. For the 63 year old at the end of the story, if he is a legal immigrant he should be eligible for it, having been present for more than 5 years.
Life is much better for the average 65 yr old American than it is for the average 65 year old Brit thanks to the countries extensive (and expensive for taxpayers) social security and Medicare system.
Steve Foley, Boston, USA

“Without a doubt, if I were to get a serious illness, I would have to go back to the UK because if I paid the insurance it would break me.” And this is the reason the NHS is in such a state. Michael Trace has not paid National contributions since 1991, 15 years, yet he expects the tax payers of this country to help him if he falls ill in the US.

Steve, cheshire

I lived in the US for 4 years, in that time I got a job which allowed continuous travel and ultimately 45 states.
After 9/11 the attitude of Americans changed, I was no longer the funny foreigner but the potential threat.. I was singled for searches not just on planes, but buses, trains, even the supermarket security as I sounded different. Even though I had a platinum accout at my branch, things became more awkward.
John Hyde, London (formerly San Francisco)

I have to say i found Michael Trace’s comments annoying if ill fall back onto the British NHS. He and others should look into healthcare etc when they decide to emigrate. A lot of British ex-pats seem to fall into this trap which is another drain on the already overstretched NHS.
Lisa, Fleetwood Lancashire

Very Nice! All these people who say that they would come ‘home’ if they were ill because they cannot afford healthcare in Florida, they think that they can live ‘over the pond’ for years, not paying British taxes I presume, and then come back to use our NHS services that the rest of us work to support!! They have made their beds they should be made to lie in them.
D, Edinburgh

I feel for these people, but must agree that know before you go, before you come to America. When we were in the UK a few years back most of the Brits we spoke to only knew about two places in America, Disney World and New York City. As for illegals, please do the right thing and register. Don’t become a shadow. Sadly, we have more than enough of our own.
Joe, Lexington, South Carolina, USA

I moved to the USA 8 years ago to marry my American fiance. I’ve not been back since. It’s not that I don’t want to, it’s that I can’t afford it. I’m fortunate in that I’ve found ways to get roast chicken flavour crisps, the real Cadburys Dairy Milk, and Newcastle Brown Ale. I can even listen to Test Match Special via the Internet, but I miss being able to walk into town to do my shopping (a mall isn’t the same) and silly little things like country lanes and cottages. I’ll not even get started on the history.

But I’ll say this, Americans come across as way more patriotic than the Brits. People aren’t afraid to hang the Stars and Stripes outside their homes, and sing the national anthem at any event. Sure, there’s an anti-Bush faction, but while the Brits might love their country, the Americans show they do.
Sally, Pittsburgh, PA (formerly Harrogate, England)

having returned from the US after 10 years I can confirm that the fear of being sick and isloation eventually takes its toll. The lack of cooperation from the US in regards to issuing VISAs to the UK and yet issuing to other countries around the world is also a disheartening factor. Y
Andrew Carson, London England

Like many ‘Brits’ I have holidayed in Floria and found it a great place with very friendly people.
However, as a tourist I found it impossible to shake off the ’sunshine paradise’ aspect of Florida … until that is I took a wrong turning and passed examples of “the projects” i.e. trailer parks and low-cost homes where America’s poor are hidden away. Legal emmigration to anywhere in the USA (especially if you become a citizen) means taking on board all the pros & cons. Whilst not wishing to sound too carping, ex-pat Brits returning home to use an already over-stretched NHS rankles with me. I accept that they may have “paid their dues” in the past whilst resident in the UK, but try claiming on an insurance policy if you haven’t kept up the premiums!. Any past payments count for nothing.
Pete Lawrence, Salisbury

My employeer moved me to the US in 1993 and I have not looked back since. I currently live outside Boston though I have also live in the DC area. In fact I am now a naturalized US citizen, though I can hold me head high and say I did not vote for Bush, and feel that the US is now my home.

I make regular trips back to London (about 2-3 visits a year) to see my parents and friends. During these trips I am reminded as to why I have no desire to return. London is so expensive, crowded (the whole country is pack solided these days) and quite frankly dirty - the amount of rubbish lying around and grafetti on a recent trip was saddening and embrassing to see.

I have retained my Britishness as I have found this an invaluable business and social asset. I fly the Cross of St. George on the appropritate occassions as well as flying the Union Jack upside down on Independence Day - my neighbours don’t get this. On trips to the UK I hit Sainsbury’s to get tea, Marmite, HP sauce, Twiglettes and Fruit Pastelles, etc., the essentials for an Englishman abroad. I insist on having tea whether the weather is hot or not - much to confounded amusement of my American wife. So, at heart I am a Brit, but my home is in the US and quite frankly I love it here. I can only speak volumes about how welcome I have been made to feel by my American friends, colleagues and neighbours.
Christopher Bett, Boston, USA

Terms & Conditions

The mix of sun, fun and the English tongue has led tens of thousands of British people to settle in Florida. But when the novelty wears off, many find themselves isolated, trapped and in fear of falling ill.

Remember Dawn from The Office? The long-suffering who, along with sales rep Tim, provided the hit comedy’s sexual tension.

When she moved to Florida with the fiance she would later dump for our hero, she ended up living a twilight life as an illegal immigrant, scrambling to make ends meet.

Dawn’s tale was the dark and cloudy side of the Sunshine State - but it is also a slice of the genuine reality for some of the uncounted Britons who live in Florida.

Seduced by the sun and glamorous lifestyle, and helped no end by a string of up-beat property shows, Florida has become one of the top destinations for at least 100,000 British expats seeking a new life.

But many of the “snowbirds” who have made the leap across the Pond to find a new life (thankfully, without adopting the pastel suits of Miami Vice) say that those back in Blighty fail to see the bigger picture.

Theme park, fantasy home

Florida’s magnetic pull across the Atlantic began with Disney World, which opened in 1971. As air tickets got cheaper and Orlando became a hot holiday destination, Brits learned to love Florida.

BRIT ABROAD? GET INVOLVED Have Your Say Share your pictures

The state became imprinted on the British imagination as people bought into rental apartments and the holiday homes springing up along the Atlantic seaboard.

The British communities have continued to grow from those early beginnings in the Orlando fun belt. Today, the sprawling southern state metro area of Broward County, Miami and greater Fort Lauderdale is home to tens of thousands of Britons.

One of the biggest recent trends has been for British companies keen to get into Latin American markets to locate in the Miami area to capitalise on the state’s virtual dual English-Spanish economy.

And the Brits know they come with a certain competitive advantage: a general warm welcome from Americans who can’t get enough of the accent.

Julia Eastwood is one of many British estate agents (realtors in American) in the state whose job is to try to make those dreams come true.

What the tourists see: Miles and miles of beach

And when you see some of the waterfront, palm grove homes her firm has to offer in the Pompano Beach area, you can see why people find it attractive. But with the average family home starting at $350,000 (187,000) in a half-decent area, the prices are not peanuts.

“People start their research at home or perhaps when staying with friends in the state. But they often don’t have the local knowledge,” she says, showing the BBC around a luxurious canal-side home.

“So they will see something on the web for $60,000 and think it’s a bargain but in reality it’s a pretty bad area. That is where things start to go wrong. You have to be careful what you do rather than just jumping in.”

Sun, sea and insurance

And the reality is that when the initial dream fades, the daily grind can be a shock to many Brits who don’t truly understand America, say some expats.

MISSING HOME What do Brits abroad buy to remind them of home? Come back on Friday to find out More Brits want out Q&A: Brits Abroad

At the British Depot in Fort Lauderdale, it’s a busy day with customers stocking up on the things that remind them of home. Amid the union jacks, packets of crisps and Pot Noodles, nobody has a bad word to say about Americans - but they have words of warning.

Some of the shops’ former customers have disappeared since 9/11, having realised that their twilight existence as illegal immigrants; people who have never declared themselves to the authorities, had become unsustainable rather than a 20-something’s dream.

But even for many of the legal residents, it’s still hard, says business woman Tracey Ryder, a resident of 11 years.

“If you are going to succeed in America, you have to be a grafter in a way you are not in Britain,” she says. “Money can be tight and what you have in Florida is people who come to retire and sit on their money, which makes business hard.

“We’ve got a stable government - but we also have crooks and I think that if I could afford it, I would go home. I certainly would not educate kids here, no way.”

Looking for a dream: Julia Eastwood helps Brits move

Rita Fitton swapped Manchester for Florida in 1995 and has never looked back. Also a career woman, she believes the state gave her she would never have had at home.

“It’s a playground, I can go out every night and enjoy myself,” she says. “But the one thing that would make me go home is bad health because there is no NHS here. Here, they just want to know how you can pay, whether you have got enough or a credit card. I don’t want any part of that.”

And it’s this issue of health that nags the minds of many Brits in America. Michael Trace is 63 and left London in 1991 after selling his small business and looking for a financial adventure in property. He’s done well and is happy, fit and loves the Florida sun.

“But I can’t get health insurance at all,” he says. “They want $1,200 a month which is utterly ridiculous so I’m not insured - I’m one of the great number of people who aren’t.

“Without a doubt, if I were to get a serious illness, I would have to go back to the UK because if I paid the insurance it would break me.

“People arrive here without thinking about these things - and I think if they did think it through, there would be question marks over coming in the first place.”

In touch

Keith Allan, the British Consul in Miami, says British emigrants should think through what they are doing, rather than just hoping a dream turns out to be true.

“We had a case where one woman whose husband had died contacted us and said she had never got a Green Card proof of legal residence in the USA,” says Mr Allan.

“She was suddenly finding life very difficult and considering returning to the UK, even though she left years ago.

“Our point is that these things can happen very suddenly - and if they do, people need to know the and have some idea of what to do.”

The passage says “Without a doubt, if I were to get a serious illness, I would have to go back to the UK because if I paid the insurance it would break me. “When are we, the UK taxpayers, going to put pressure on our Govt to stop this abuse of the NHS?
Graham, Sunderland

I think it’s hypocritical that UK migrants settle in the US, enjoy the lifestyle and the low taxes but say they can’t afford health insurance and would come back here for free healthcare if they were ill - little better than foreign health tourists
Matt Munro, Bristol, UK

I went to university in Utah. Overall, I enjoyed the experience, but after four years, I was ready to come home again. American movies and TV pump out such a relentless stream of propaganda that people here imagine that life over there cannot be anything less than a dream. In reality, it’s a foreign country. Some things are indeed better than in Britain. Others are worse. For the most part, they’re just different.

Andrew, Cardiff, Wales

I emigrated from florida 15 years ago. I was born there. Florida remains a place of incredible intellectual, spiritual and cultural vacuity. How many times can you go to the mall, beach or the same cinema? It’s boring when compared to London/Europe. Visiting Disney leaves me empty.
Dayton Rogers, Dulwich, London

It’s good to see that Mr Trace is happy to not pay UK taxes for 15 years, but still take advantage of the UK health system when he needs to. If people leave they should leave and live life how it is lead in the country they go to. If he is unprepared to pay for healthcare, tough. Would he give me a free holiday at his home? I doubt it.
Adrian, Stockport

I will be leaving UK shores for a full-time fix of Florida very soon. The people are very friendly and my accent attracts attention everywhere I go. Things are so cheap here. I have a wardrobe packed with the same grey slacks and it cost me next to nothing.
Bobby, Formby

I don’t see why after years of not paying UK tax, that they should be able to come back and drain the NHS when they get ill!
Pete, Redhill

I think coming back here for medical treatment is fine, provided those people are still paying taxes in the UK. What is not fine is people enjoying the low taxes in the US - low partly because health care is not state provided - and then running back here to enjoy healthcare paid for by people still working in the UK, and still paying the high rates of tax.
Steve, London

I went to work in miami in 2000 after finishing university. I worked in the tourist industry for a cruise line and it was hell. Low pay, no time off and long days - the weather was lovely but if you are working you may as well be in an office in London. And besides you could not get a good cup of tea anywhere, I now work in London.

luke, southend, essex.

Sounds great. Live abroad in the sun, live the party lifestyle, enjoy the beaches, pay the US government taxes. When you’re too old or ill to stay, come home and be a burden on the NHS whom you have not paid a penny to for years. Thanks.
Jamie Davis, Bristol

Hang on a minute. I don’t see why people should get to turn their back on the UK and live abroad only to come back when they need to use the NHS? It’s hard enough paying all the Tax in this country as it is - without carrying people who havn’t paid anything while living in the sun who then return for a very expensive freebie.
Tim Bartlam, Aberdeen

My family and I have holidayed in Florida for two years on a trot and we fell in love with Orlando when we were married there in 2004. It is an amazing place to take the kids and if I ever won a huge amount on the Lottery it would be top of my list to move there but planned well and not until my children had been through school here. I agree with the comments above about not schooling your children in the U.S as they only learn their own history as opposed to that of the world.
I can’t afford to go this year and I am gutted but happy memories and the will to go back one day and do all the parks and eat in fabulaous restaurants as well as returning to the villa to put my aching limbs in the spa and pool is fantastic.
I would definately look into the “small print” before I moved there as their way of life is very different to the UK.
Sharon Lewis
Sharon Lewis, Neath UK

Great! Good old blighty. Not good enough to live in, but good enough to leach off when it comes to the NHS. Why don’t these people think before moving abroad??
Sara Brown, Warwick

I don’t know WHAT health insurance companies Michael was getting quotes from, but my health insurance while I was in America was lower than what I pay the NHS here each month - and there were no ques when I called for an appointment.
Mark,

The comments about flying back to England just to abuse the NHS are exactly why the goverment needs to crack down on who actually can use the NHS. If you (or someone you’re dependant on) aren’t paying UK taxes then why should you have any right to use what the rest of us back in the UK are paying for?
Ian, Leeds

The big attraction of the US is that the taxes there are low, but that’s because there isn’t an NHS as we know it. I’m so pleased that the Ex-pats can pocket the difference and then just fly-in and use what our additional taxes have paid for if they so need it…
Dave, Aberdeen

I have family from Florida & some still there, though I’m british. I’ve lived and worked there. It is still a great place to holiday, but I don’t think I would move there permanently. The lack of the NHS is part of it. The other is that we are used to our classes, but there is a lot of communication as well as mobility between them, and they are not solely tied to wealth, but in the US which claims to be classless, the culture is very stratified, and there is little communication between the not classes.
Chloe, Slough

Whilst it is true that health insurance is expensive, it is usually included with an average job. That’s not to say that millions of americans AREN’T insured (43 million at last count I believe) - but many of these are either self employed single people who choose not to, but a lot of the rest are the poorest group of non-legal immigrants. Nobody mentioned though, that there IS universal healthcare coverage for those over 65 in the form of Medicare. For the 63 year old at the end of the story, if he is a legal immigrant he should be eligible for it, having been present for more than 5 years.
Life is much better for the average 65 yr old American than it is for the average 65 year old Brit thanks to the countries extensive (and expensive for taxpayers) social security and Medicare system.
Steve Foley, Boston, USA

“Without a doubt, if I were to get a serious illness, I would have to go back to the UK because if I paid the insurance it would break me.” And this is the reason the NHS is in such a state. Michael Trace has not paid National since 1991, 15 years, yet he expects the tax payers of this country to help him if he falls ill in the US.

Steve, cheshire

I lived in the US for 4 years, in that time I got a job which allowed continuous travel and ultimately 45 states.
After 9/11 the attitude of Americans changed, I was no longer the funny foreigner but the potential threat.. I was singled for searches not just on planes, but buses, trains, even the supermarket security as I sounded different. Even though I had a platinum accout at my branch, things became more awkward.
John Hyde, London (formerly San Francisco)

I have to say i found Michael Trace’s comments annoying if ill fall back onto the British NHS. He and others should look into healthcare etc when they decide to emigrate. A lot of British ex-pats seem to fall into this trap which is another drain on the already overstretched NHS.
Lisa, Fleetwood Lancashire

Very Nice! All these people who say that they would come ‘home’ if they were ill because they cannot afford healthcare in Florida, they think that they can live ‘over the pond’ for years, not paying British taxes I presume, and then come back to use our NHS services that the rest of us work to support!! They have made their beds they should be made to lie in them.
D, Edinburgh

I feel for these people, but must agree that know before you go, before you come to America. When we were in the UK a few years back most of the Brits we spoke to only knew about two places in America, Disney World and New York City. As for illegals, please do the right thing and register. Don’t become a shadow. Sadly, we have more than enough of our own.
Joe, Lexington, South Carolina, USA

I moved to the USA 8 years ago to marry my American fiance. I’ve not been back since. It’s not that I don’t want to, it’s that I can’t afford it. I’m fortunate in that I’ve found ways to get roast chicken flavour crisps, the real Cadburys Dairy Milk, and Newcastle Brown Ale. I can even listen to Test Match Special via the Internet, but I miss being able to walk into town to do my shopping (a mall isn’t the same) and silly little things like country lanes and cottages. I’ll not even get started on the history.

But I’ll say this, Americans come across as way more patriotic than the Brits. People aren’t afraid to hang the Stars and Stripes outside their homes, and sing the national anthem at any event. Sure, there’s an anti-Bush faction, but while the Brits might love their country, the Americans show they do.
Sally, Pittsburgh, PA (formerly Harrogate, England)

having returned from the US after 10 years I can confirm that the fear of being sick and isloation eventually takes its toll. The lack of cooperation from the US in regards to issuing VISAs to the UK and yet issuing to other countries around the world is also a disheartening factor. Y
Andrew Carson, London England

Like many ‘Brits’ I have holidayed in Floria and found it a great place with very friendly people.
However, as a tourist I found it impossible to shake off the ’sunshine paradise’ aspect of Florida … until that is I took a wrong turning and passed examples of “the projects” i.e. trailer parks and low-cost homes where America’s poor are hidden away. Legal emmigration to anywhere in the USA (especially if you become a citizen) means taking on board all the pros & cons. Whilst not wishing to sound too carping, ex-pat Brits returning home to use an already over-stretched NHS rankles with me. I accept that they may have “paid their dues” in the past whilst resident in the UK, but try claiming on an insurance policy if you haven’t kept up the premiums!. Any past payments count for nothing.
Pete Lawrence, Salisbury

My employeer moved me to the US in 1993 and I have not looked back since. I currently live outside Boston though I have also live in the DC area. In fact I am now a naturalized US citizen, though I can hold me head high and say I did not vote for Bush, and feel that the US is now my home.

I make regular trips back to London (about 2-3 visits a year) to see my parents and friends. During these trips I am reminded as to why I have no desire to return. London is so expensive, crowded (the whole country is pack solided these days) and quite frankly dirty - the amount of rubbish lying around and grafetti on a recent trip was saddening and embrassing to see.

I have retained my Britishness as I have found this an invaluable business and social asset. I fly the Cross of St. George on the appropritate occassions as well as flying the Union Jack upside down on Independence Day - my neighbours don’t get this. On trips to the UK I hit Sainsbury’s to get tea, Marmite, HP sauce, Twiglettes and Fruit Pastelles, etc., the essentials for an Englishman abroad. I insist on having tea whether the weather is hot or not - much to confounded amusement of my American wife. So, at heart I am a Brit, but my home is in the US and quite frankly I love it here. I can only speak volumes about how welcome I have been made to feel by my American friends, colleagues and neighbours.
Christopher Bett, Boston, USA

Terms & Conditions

The Association of British Insurers (ABI) said the extra government spending was needed to counter an risk of flood.

The group added that nearly 600,000 UK homes were at risk of flood.

Insurers will only continue to offer flood insurance to consumers if “defences are kept up to an adequate standard”, the ABI warned.

The most recent estimate of the number of homes at risk of flood is much higher than the original estimate of 220,000.

Future government expenditure on flood defences is based on this lower estimate, set in 2002.

The ABI argues that because many more homes are at risk of flood than were in 2002, then government expenditure needs to rise at a faster pace.

“The new, higher estimates of homes and businesses at risk means that the government needs to invest more in flood defences,” Stephen Sklaroff, ABI deputy director general, said.

“This makes good economic sense for home owners, businesses, and the taxpayer.”

In 2005, insurers promised they would continue to insure at-risk properties where new flood defences would be in place within five years, the ABI said.