Claims relating to last weeks storms could be turned down if customers don’t have the right policies, a number of large insurers reported last week.
The warning comes after windstorm Andrea crossed the UK last week, bringing with it gale force winds which took down trees, cut power and disrupted travel. Insurers reported huge increases in claims numbers with Direct Line having it’s busiest day in five years and Co-operative having more claims on Tuesday than it expected for the entire January.
Carmel McCarthy from More Than warned of the importance of knowing what your policy covers.
“Some policies may not cover damage to gates, fences or contents in the open such as garden ornaments so it’s important to check what cover you have in place,” he said.
It’s also important to have the right claims limit on your policy, especially if you have expensive garden equipment or ornaments. A policy with seemingly huge cover for storm damage wont be as good if you have items valued above your claims limit.
Another area where customers are having claims rejected is where there is evidence that an item was not maintained before the storm damage.
Lee Mooney of Co-operative Insurance, said: “Although most insurers review claims on a case-by-case basis, sometimes home insurance won’t cover for loose items such as tiles or fencing when necessary arrangements to maintain these properly were not made before the storm.”
To make sure you don’t have any trouble with claiming, you should ensure that your property is in good order and there is no pre-existing damage. If further storms are forecast, it is a good idea to lock away any loose items that you may have in the garden.
Mr Mooney continued to say these precautions would be useless, however, if you don’t have the right insurance in the first place.
“Bad weather like we’re experiencing reminds us how vital it is to protect our homes with insurance. All too often we go for the cheapest policy rather than checking which one offers the best level of cover.”
