WIDOWED flood victim Judith Meyler has told of her shock at being hit with a massive bill from an insurance company.

The 58-year-old, of Norton, who suffers from a heart condition and is fitted with a pacemaker, was asked to pay a £900 premium by Norwich Union, which has a major office in York.

But the real sting in the tail came when she discovered that the policy excess - the amount of damage she must pay for herself in any claim - was £8,500.

Mrs Meyler, of St Nicholas Street, heard she would face the huge increase while in hospital after breaking her leg.

"When I was told what they wanted I nearly died there and then," she said. "I was distraught. I can not afford an excess anything like that and I don't know of anyone who could."

But Norwich Union has now agreed to reconsider its demands.

"I am just not well enough to fight Norwich Union any longer on my own - I'm too exhausted," Mrs Meyler added. "I have been insured with them for years and in the past even sung their praises."

Mrs Meyler, who has twice undergone open heart surgery, was widowed weeks after the second flood, in November 2000, when her husband, Sean, died following a heart attack.

Howard Keal, of Derwent Action Group, which fights for flood victims, said: "Other big insurers have virtually all done the decent thing and stood by their customers, keeping premiums at previous levels.

"The Norwich Union should be ashamed of inflicting misery on their own customers. They are signed up to a national agreement to look after people, but instead of protection this is more like extortion."

A Norwich Union spokeswoman said: "With regard to Mrs Meyler's case, she has suffered two floods in the last few years - one in March 1999 and the other in November 2000. These claims totalled nearly £97,000.

"When reviewing Mrs Meyler's premium in November, our records showed that there were no defences in Norton to prevent floods happening again.

"To reflect this increased risk, we asked Mrs Meyler to contribute an additional premium and flood policy excess, which reflected the severity of the damage.

"We have now received a letter from the Environment Agency stating that flood defences are being built in the Norton area and will be in place by the end of 2002, protecting Mrs Meyler's property.

"We are reconsidering Mrs Meyler's policy in the light of this news and, of course, we will also be reviewing her premium and flood excess at the end of the year, when the defences have been built."

Updated: 11:23 Friday, February 15, 2002