Loss Assessor says help available for worried Storm Isha victims

WORKING as an assessor since 2007, Conor explained that once a roof is damaged the potential for further damage is obvious. “When the water gets in you have the potential for ceilings to come down, you have issues with lights/electricity, it very quickly becomes much more than losing some slates or part of a roof,” he said.

He said his firm was dealing with multiple calls: “It’s busy, there has been a huge amount of damage to farm buildings as well. Those buildings at times are not immediately as visible to people as they can be in rural locations, but sadly, the numbers of partial or complete loss of shed roofs and more is very significant.”

Asked how big the individual claims might run to, he said: “In one case alone the assessment settlement will be several hundred thousand euro as a result of damage to a commercial premises we look after,” he said.

“We are just one firm and we have been dealing with dozens of calls every day since Monday and I’m sure there are other firms locally and nationally experiencing the same thing.

“From a purely personal viewpoint I am not surprised as we live in Carney and we took the full brunt of the storm, it really was very violent. I’m hearing reports of wind speeds of up to 140 kilometres per hour at Sligo Airport.”

Asked how bad he felt the storm was for Sligo, and how it has impacted on their work as assessors, he responded: “For us personally it is top of the list.

“It seems to me Sligo took a direct hit in terms of Isha in particular.

“Other storms were bad and other areas got badly affected, but this one came right at us and the consequences, sadly, are all too evident and we are keen to help people, minimise their worries, their trauma to be honest and help them get sorted,” he said.

Asked about doubts some people may have about being insured, he said that too was an issue for some who feared it was ‘an act of God’ and they may not be covered.

He explained: “Every policy has what are called ‘insurable perils’ which means your policy will come into vogue. While each policy must be taken on its own merits, with most policies including the insurable perils relating to a storm.”

Aside from his work as an assessor, Conor pointed out that there are other major costs associated with a storm of this magnitude: “The Council teams were out working in very difficult conditions, the ESB crews also, working long hours, while that has nothing to do with what we do as assessors, there will be cost borne by the State or the Local Authority here in Sligo for their work. It all adds up to considerable costs directly attributable to the storm. While I am aware of a fatal accident in Mayo, the small consolation is that locally, to the best of my knowledge, no one was seriously hurt as a result of the storms, so we can be thankful for that,” he said.

Anyone with concerns following damage to their home/commercial business property can contact Conor at O’Brien & Associates Public Loss Assessors, Abbey Street, Sligo, phone 071-9147888.