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HOW DID YOUR PROPERTY FAIR IN THE STORMS OF 2020? 

How did your property fair in the storms of 2020? 

The powerful storms we faced earlier this year caused a great deal of damage to many properties up and down the country.

The powerful storms we faced earlier this year caused a great deal of damage to many properties up and down the country. Insurers have said they were inundated with claims for dislodged tiles and other roof damage, destruction due to fallen branches and trees as well as devastation due to extreme flooding.

 If a storm damages your property, what should you do? 

If your property is damaged as a result of a storm we recommend you keep hold of any damaged items. If you are able to make a claim on your home insurance your allocated claim assessor may wish to see said items to validate your claim. 

You may also like to take photographs, or make a short video of the damage caused to your property and contents. Again this could be useful for an insurance claim and as a useful record for yourself. 

If you suspect some damage to your property has occurred but you can’t visibly see any you may wish to consider consulting a surveyor like Westone Housing to carry out a detailed structural survey for your peace of mind. The team at Westone Housing are specially trained to help. 

Once you have assessed the damage you may wish to make a claim on your insurance policy. Before making contact it is advisable to firstly scrutinise your documents paying particular attention to any exclusions, claim limits and excess levels. 

If you decide to proceed with an insurance claim once you have collated all the above information, take some time to prepare for your initial contact by making a few notes regarding what has actually happened. This will enable you to communicate clearly and concisely when talking to your provider. We would also advise you to keep a record of all the communications that take place between yourself and your insurer recording the time, date, name of the persons you have spoken to and what was said.

 

Dealing with claims made against you 

Unfortunately you may find yourself accountable for damage caused to other people’s property following a storm. Most home insurance policies will include liability cover which will pay out for a valid claim. In any event, talk to your insurer at the earliest opportunity to get guidance on any potential claim to ensure you are informed from the start. 

Preparing your property for future storms
 

If your property was lucky enough to avoid damage this time you may wish to consider how you can proactively prepare for future storms. 

  • We suggest checking for any cracked, missing or loose tiles and replace them now before another storm.
  • Check your guttering is clear of any debris such as leaves, mud and stones as they can easily stop rainfall from being able to flow away.
  • Regularly check any trees on your property and make sure they've been pruned back removing any unsafe limbs to limit the risk of future damage.
  • Ensure your outdoor furniture and other items that are likely to blow around or away are safely restrained or placed in a garage when a storm is forecast. 
  • Make a list of useful numbers you may need – such as your insurer, council and local tradesmen in advance.

Do you require expert advice? 

If you need expert advice around property repair due to extreme weather contact specialists, Westone Housing on 01733 320500 or visit www.westone.uk.com

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