The UK may be bracing for a winter of stormy weather. But as you batten down the hatches at home and at work, you might be wondering: Will your insurance cover you for storm damage?
In this post we’ll discuss how most home insurance and business insurance policies handle storm damage. If you have any questions or concerns about your insurance cover, we’re always happy to help. For a friendly chat, call us on 0208 290 9086 or email us at personal@anthonyjones.com.
What Do We Mean By Storm Damage?
When we talk about storm damage, we’re talking about any damage to your property that occurs as a result of adverse weather, such as strong winds, heavy rain, ice, and snow.
This can include flooding that occurs as a result of torrential rain or frozen pipes in winter. It can also include roof damage from high winds, and damage from debris, fallen trees, or fallen power lines.
Does Business Insurance Cover Storm Damage?
If you have buildings insurance as part of your business insurance package, then you likely are covered for storm damage. Check your policy wording, and you may see that it specifies exactly what sort of storm damage you’re covered for.
Check Your Insurance Covers You For Secondary Impact and Business Interruption
When it comes to protecting your business from storms, you should ensure that your insurance will also cover you for the secondary impact of the storm damage. You might be covered for repairs, but what about the downtime while you wait for these repairs to be completed?
And what if a fallen powerline leaves your business without power for an extended period? Would you still be able to trade?
This is why it’s essential to get business interruption insurance, to cover you for the aftereffects of the storms, as well as the initial damage.
Does Home Insurance Cover Storm Damage?
Yes, most home insurance policies will cover you for storm damage. Your buildings insurance will typically cover you for any storm damage to your home, while your contents insurance will cover any loss or damage of your belongings.
However, there may be limits to the cover. For example, the buildings insurance may not cover outdoor structures such as fences, gates, hedges, sheds, and garden offices. Plus, if you have any particularly valuable items or collections, your contents insurance may not give you all the cover you need. You may need specialist high net worth insurance to cover any high value items in your home.
Also, your policy may cover you for floods stemming from heavy rains. But if may not cover you for flooding from burst pipes in the winter. For this, you might need dedicated escape of water insurance.
Are You Fully Covered For The Stormy Season?
Rachel Penning at Anthony Jones says:
“The good news is that most business and home insurance policies will provide some level of cover for storm damage. This cover may extend to both your building and its contents. Some home insurance policies will even provide cover for temporary accommodation, if the damage is really bad.
“However, you should never ensure that you’re fully covered for anything that might happen. Check your policy wording carefully, and take note of any exceptions or limits to the cover. If you feel that this may leave you exposed to potential loss, consider taking out some extra cover.
“This is particularly important for high net worth individuals. If you’ve got a valuable collection of antiques in the home, for example, your standard contents insurance may not give you full cover in the event of storm damage. For this, you’d need some dedicated high net worth insurance.”
At Anthony Jones, we can help you ensure you have all the cover you need for this stormy season, and beyond. For more information on how we can help you, call us on 0208 290 9086 or email us at personal@anthonyjones.com.
