Are you prepared to weather the storm?

The Met Office have issued a rare RED weather warning as storm Eunice sweeps across the UK, with wind gusts of over 100mph expected. As forecasters warn of ‘damage to buildings and homes’, the possibility of power lines being brought down and the likelihood of flying debris and uprooted trees, it’s a good time to check if your insurance is adequate to protect your property properly.  Even if you do keep your property in a good state of repair, the intensity of storms can be dangerous to even the most resilient buildings. Any extreme form of bad weather has the potential to cause damage to a property.

If you do need to make a claim, here are some things to bear in mind.

• Assess the damage. Before you call to register a claim, assess the actual value and cost of the damage. After a major storm, insurers visit those with the most severe damage first. Be prepared to provide an accurate description of the extent of the property damage.
• Check your ‘Excess’. You will most likely have an ‘excess’ on your policy, which you will need to pay. You need to weigh up whether the damage is extensive enough to require the support of your insurance policy.
• Photos and quotes. If you still want to proceed with a claim after reviewing the above, then take photos of the damage. Get a report to confirm the cause of damage from a reputable contractor and provide a quote/invoice and any receipts for repair on the contractors headed paper.
• Impact on premiums. Bear in mind that any claim that you make now will also have an impact on your future premiums for up to five years after your claim.
• Urgent action. Make any emergency repairs to stop damage getting any worse during periods of sustained bad weather.
• Electrical danger. Turn off your power at the mains if you think that cables are damaged. Get them inspected by a professional. Don’t touch electrical or telephone cables if they’re blown down or hanging loose.
• Don’t ditch it! Check with your claims adviser before you thrown anything away. You might need to keep hold of it for the claims process. If the council insist you remove it, take photographs first.
• Let your insurer know. Before you appoint tradespeople to make repairs to your damage, call your insurer. This could cause disputes and incur costs if your insurer is unaware.
• Report any liability claim received from third parties immediately. There are timescales laid down by law with which you need to comply.
• Claim dairy. If you are making a claim, then it’s sensible to document the steps you have undertaken, to help with validating your claim. Keep a record of who you have spoken to about your situation.

To make a claim: Contact the Lloyd & Whyte Claim Team – Call 01823 250540 or email claims@lloydwhyte.com

Even if you decide not to go ahead with a claim, the damage still needs repairing, nonetheless. Leaving the property damaged or open to the elements will cause further issues, so take appropriate measures to undertake repairs to try and mitigate any further damage.

Key exclusions on Home Insurance policies:

Be aware that storm damage to gates and fences is not covered.

Fallen tree removal is not covered unless this has damaged an element of your buildings (as defined by your policy wording).

Key Exclusions on Zurich Practice policies:

Prevention of access/Business Interruption due to adverse weather conditions is not covered. There must have been actual damage to the insured premises, stopping you from trading, for this to be covered

For general policy cover enquiries, call our Operations Team on 01823 250700