Moving on after the storms

Insurance firms are working hard to help repair the devastation caused by the extreme weather that’s hit many parts of the UK recently.

Calls to insurers’ contact centres have surged, as homes, vehicles and businesses have suffered damage from flooding and strong winds.

Malcolm Tarling, a spokesman for the Association of British Insurers, says: “Insurers know that suffering storm and flood damage can be a very stressful and distressing experience.

“From making initial emergency payments, arranging and paying for alternative temporary accommodation where needed, to bringing in the best drying equipment to speed up the recovery process, their first priority is to give customers the help and support they need at a difficult time.”

When making an insurance claim for storm and flood damage, and choosing cover in the future, here are some factors to bear in mind...

Make sure you check what your policy does and does not cover. Comprehensive motor insurance should cover the cost of repairing or replacing storm-damaged vehicles.

And buildings insurance covers the structure of your home such as the walls, wallpaper and permanent fixtures such as fitted kitchens.

Insurers may also arrange temporary accommodation if a home is uninhabitable. Brian Brown, a consumer finance expert at star ratings service Defaqto, points out that when large areas are flooded, local builders will be in high demand so you may face a wait for repairs. “Make sure your buildings insurance policy provides enough cover for alternative accommodation.”

Home contents insurance will cover the cost of replacing belongings such as furniture. Defaqto suggests making sure you have enough insurance to replace items as new.

“If you have a major loss (like in a flood) and the insurer finds out that you are massively under-insured, they are likely to reduce the claim payout accordingly.”

Storms and floods can cause lots of damage – and costs rack up. Here’s what you need to know about sorting cover and claims.

This may mean taking photos to help back up your claim. Don’t worry though about having to keep all your ruined items. The ABI says insurers don’t expect customers to keep piles of damaged belongings, so once you have spoken to your insurer you can dispose of any items which pose a health risk, such as rotting food.

Also, if a damaged item is big and bulky, taking a cutting may be all you need to back up your claim, such as a piece of carpet.

If there’s somewhere you can store items, it may be worth seeing if they can be repaired.

An industry funded scheme known as Flood Re exists to ensure that flood insurance remains available to higher flood risk home owners. Most insurers are now subscribed to it.

For some, now is a time to pick up the pieces