Storm FAQs

Insurers will require specific weather conditions to be met, as may be outlined in your policy documents. These criteria may include windspeed or rainfall intensity.

To assess the weather conditions at the time the damage occurred, insurers often rely on data from independent, specialist weather organisations (for example The Met Office), which will provide them with detailed information including conditions over the preceding days and granular weather measurements. Insurers will also review local weather records and reports, and assess whether nearby properties were also affected. Insurers will take into account the ABI information on storms:

A storm is a period of violent weather usually deemed to consist of:

• Wind speeds with gusts of at least 55mph* or;
• Torrential rainfall at a rate of at least 25mm per hour or;
• Snow to a depth of at least one foot (30cm) in 24 hours;
• Hail of such intensity that it causes damage to hard surfaces or breaks glass

*Equivalent to Force 10 on the Beaufort Scale.

Insurers understand that weather conditions can be very localised and weather stations may not capture everything. They aim to assess local weather conditions as accurately as possible, and will take a holistic review of the evidence available to determine:

• If storm conditions prevailed at the time
• If the damage incurred is consistent with storm damage
• If, on balance, storm conditions were the dominant cause of damage.

Where local data isn’t available, they consider other relevant factors to ensure fair claims handling. Insurers will take a pragmatic and flexible approach when dealing with storms and are there to support their customers throughout the claims process.

Insurers will apply a flexible approach when confirmed windspeeds or other readings are unavailable or inconclusive in the damaged property’s location. This also applies to other relevant evidence that insurers use when reviewing a claim.

Regular maintenance helps prevent damage during adverse weather, and your property should be kept in a good state of repair. This can include:

• Fixing loose or damaged roof tiles, sealing windows, and securing flashing and pointing. Clearing gutters and drains is also important.

• Roof/external checks: Roofs need to be in a good state of repair but can be hard to inspect. A relevant builder or property surveyor can do this for you. Look also for moss build up, loose or missing pointing and gaps between tiles.

• Roofs don’t last forever. A pitched/tiled roof typically has a significantly longer life than a flat roof. Flat felt roofs in particular typically require maintenance and or renewal every 10-15 years depending on the materials they’re made from.

• Internal signs: look for light visible in the loft from outside, torn under-felt, or damp patches – especially around windows and doors.

• Check nearby trees and safely remove any loose or overhanging branches. If the tree isn’t on your land, contact the owner.

• Note that storm damage to fences, hedges and gates are generally not covered.

Storms can cause unexpected damage, but some issues may arise from the natural ageing of your property. Over time, all buildings experience wear and tear - this is a normal part of their lifecycle, regardless of how well they were originally built.

For example:

• roof tiles may loosen due to corroded nails or clips
• pointing around chimneys and ridges may crack
• and flat felt roofs can begin to sag or split.

Sometimes, stormy weather reveals existing vulnerabilities rather than causing new damage. That’s why insurers assess whether the storm was the direct cause or if it simply exposed areas that were already in need of repair. Homes that are regularly maintained tend to withstand severe weather better than those with underlying issues.

It’s important to note that insurance policies are designed to cover sudden and unforeseen damage, not general upkeep. To help ensure your property is protected and your claim is successful, regular maintenance is essential.

Gates and fences are very susceptible to being damaged by winds, and for this reason are excluded by most standard buildings insurance policies. Take a look at your policy to check if they’re excluded in yours.

They’re excluded as they are often not well maintained and therefore very prone to being blown down. The cost of replacing all fences following a storm would be too great and would result in a significant increase in insurance costs.

There are steps you can take to prepare and protect your fence against storms, including:

• using trellis or slat panels as they’re designed to be wind resistant
• choosing concrete posts over wooden ones will help make sure your fence posts last longer, but would also likely be excluded from your policy.

If anyone is holding you responsible for injury or damage to property, homeowners should contact their buildings insurer. Building policies usually provide legal liability cover for occupiers. If you are a landlord, contact your property insurer.

You should contact your airline or travel agent for advice. Some travel insurance policies may offer some cover for missed flights due to your journey to the airport being disrupted in certain circumstances, so check your travel policy. If your flight is delayed by bad weather, then policies may pay a fixed cash sum after a specified number of hours’ delay, and also if delay caused by bad weather forces you to abandon your trip.

Comprehensive motor insurance covers storm damage to your vehicle.

If you have third party fire and theft, this does not cover damage as a result of storms. If your vehicle is damaged by someone else or their property (such as a falling roof tile) you would need to show that they were at fault to be able to claim against them.

Most food will keep up to 12hrs in the freezer (keep the door closed as much as you can).

For long outages the power company may offer compensation. Check first as compensation from the power company won’t impact your claim history or no claims discounts, and will help for lower value claims under your policy excess

If you do need to claim and the food is spoiled, then it is ok to throw it out. But take a photo of it first and keep any communication from the power supplier about the outage.

Food in the fridge isn’t normally covered but check your policy. Where freezer food cover is not in place, policies may still cover storm damage to freezer food in the absence of an exclusion. Check your home policy wording to see if there is cover for storm damage to freezer food under contents or check for specific freezer food cover. If in doubt, consult your insurer.

If you have made a claim, then your claims history will be a factor most insurers will use in your following renewal. It could also mean losing any no claims discount you have built up.

Home insurance is very competitive, so we always recommend shopping around for the best cover for your needs.

Buildings and contents policies¹ normally cover the reasonable cost of temporary alternative accommodation (up to the policy limit) if your home cannot be lived in during the repair.

¹ Home insurance comprises 2 elements: 1. Buildings insurance covers the structure of your home and any permanent fixtures and fittings, such as fitted kitchen units and bathroom suites, if they are damaged of destroyed. 2. Contents insurance covers the cost of replacing or repairing your possessions if they are damaged, destroyed or stolen.

Insurers are used to dealing with bad weather events. Their main priority will be making sure that their customers’ claims are dealt with as quickly as possible and can arrange temporary accommodation, make emergency payments where necessary, and assess the damage when safe to do so.

People who suffer damage should contact their insurer as soon as possible for advice, either by notifying your insurer of your claim online, or by phone.

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.

• Contact your insurer as soon as is reasonably possible. Keep your mobile phone handy in case power lines are disrupted.

• 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. You can also notify your insurer of your claim online.

• Check if you have Home Emergency cover (stand-alone or via a bank account) for immediate assistance and temporary repairs. Home emergency cover is an optional add-on to your standard home insurance policy, and can cover things like:
  • Roof damage after a storm – if you lose tiles, get a leak or have other roof issues, home emergency cover can help pay for emergency repairs.
  • Electrical emergencies, like damage to electrical wiring caused by a power cut.
  • Only do emergency/temporary repairs to prevent further damage if it safe to do so, and you have spoken to your insurer — but take photos/video and keep an itemised invoice.
• During severe national events, insurers will be very busy. To help progress your claim, consider getting estimates from local trades while you wait for an assessment.

• Insurers appreciate that experiencing damage to your home or belongings can be incredibly stressful, and are there to support all their customers during a claim.
• If you are disabled or have specific communication needs, you can choose to inform your insurer about the additional support and help you may require throughout the claims process, so that your needs are met.

You should sign up to the Met Office weather warnings, and follow Met Office local warnings for information on named storms.