How to prepare or prevent it?
You can take a number of precautions to prepare for bad weather, such as storms or floods:
- A substantial amount of damage occurs because buildings are poorly maintained. On a practical level much can be done to reduce damage by ensuring your property is well maintained and any issues such as loose roof tiles are fixed.
- Make sure you have emergency contact numbers for your insurer, local authority and utility companies to hand in a safe waterproof place.
- Listen out for bad weather warnings on local radio and TV.
- Check the websites of the Environment Agency, Scottish Environment Protection Agency, Natural Resources Wales or the Rivers Agency (Northern Ireland) and sign up for their free flood warning service.
- Make sure any unsecured items, like ladders in gardens, that can cause damage in high winds are secured.
- If you have a car, try and move it away from where flooding is expected.
- If you are in a flood risk area try to move valuable or essential items upstairs or to a high place.
- Keep a mobile phone with you.
- Check if it is safe to use electricity, gas and water supplies.
What to do if it happens?
If you have suffered storm damage to your property or contents you should:
- Not do anything that will put you or your household at risk.
- Only return to your home or business after a storm when it is safe to do so.
- Contact your property insurer as soon as possible. Most will have 24-hour emergency helplines, which can give advice on next steps and arrange repairs as quickly as possible.
- If necessary, arrange temporary emergency repairs to stop any damage getting worse. Tell your insurer and keep any receipts, as this will form part of your claim.
- Do not be in a rush to throw away damaged items, unless they are a danger to health, as these may be able to be repaired or restored. Your insurer will advise it can take weeks, sometimes months for a property to fully dry out so do not be in a rush to redecorate. Your insurer can give you advice.
FAQs
If bad weather prevents me from travelling, can I claim on travel insurance?
If bad weather prevents you from travelling, in the first instance, you should contact your airline or travel agent for advice.
In general, travel insurance will cover you if bad weather forces you to abandon your trip or causes your flight to be delayed. We recommend you check your travel insurance policy to fully understand what you are covered for.
Will motor insurance cover damage to vehicles?
Yes, comprehensive motor insurance covers damage to your vehicle. If you have third party fire and theft, this does not cover damage as a result of storms or floods. If your vehicle is damaged by someone else or their property (such as a falling roof tile) to be able to claim against them you would need to show that they were legally liable (negligent).
Is there any insurance cover in the event of disruption to power supplies?
Some home contents insurance policies may cover loss of food in freezers (up to the policy limit) due to failure in the power supply. Check if your home insurance contents policy covers this.
If something like a roof tile flies off my house in the storm and causes damage or injury, am I covered for my liability?
Your buildings insurance policy will usually cover your legal liability in instances like this. There may be a limit to it depending on the policy. For anyone to be able to claim against you it would have to be shown that your negligence led to the damage (for example, if it can be shown that you were aware that your roof was in a dangerous condition, and you did nothing about it).
Will home insurance premiums go up after a storm?
Property insurance premiums are not usually impacted by one event, but rather on the cost of a range of many different factors. One event will not usually push up property insurance premiums across the board. If you have made a claim or claims during the year this may impact on your premium at renewal, depending on the cost of the claim.
If you have made a claim you could lose any no claim discounts that built up, which could make a difference to the following year’s premiums. However, home insurance is very competitive so we always advise people to shop around for the best cover for them.
How will insurers deal with the influx of calls?
Insurers are used to dealing with bad weather events. Their main priority will be making sure that claims from their customers are dealt with as quickly as possible, arranging temporary accommodation, making emergency payments where necessary, and assessing the damage when safe to do so. People who suffer damage should contact their insurer as soon as possible for advice. Most insurers have 24-hour emergency helplines to offer help and advice, so check your policy and make sure you know the telephone number to call.
What should you do if you are affected by a storm?
Contact your insurer as soon as possible if you need to make a claim for damage. Have your insurance documents and policy number(s) to hand. Check your policy as most insurers have 24-hour emergency helplines to give advice and ensure that your claim gets moving as quickly as possible. Keep your mobile phone handy in case power lines are disrupted.
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