With Storm Arwen having wreaked havoc in parts of the UK, we’ve all been given a sharp reminder that winter storms are part and parcel of life on this island. If you suffer storm damage to your property, however, what are you supposed to do? Is it an Act of God and will that mean that you are not covered?

Here are some tips to handle storm property damage.

1. Inform your insurer as soon as you can and take photos of the damage that has occurred.

Remember that Acts of God is a term rarely found in modern buildings insurance policies. The vast majority will view storm damage as an unplanned event and cover you for it

2. Be prepared for a long wait to get through.

Insurers’ claims departments are under huge strain anyway, due to pandemic pressures and working from home. You may struggle to get an answer, particularly if many people are suddenly trying to make a claim.

To ease the strain on your time and patience, it can be helpful to get someone on your side – your own loss assessor. If you notify Property Claim Assist, whose service can be free of charge, that’s just one call you need to make. They then progress your claim, making subsequent calls to your insurer on your behalf.

3. Make your property as safe as you can and try to minimise further damage.

Do not endanger your safety by doing so, however. A loss assessor should be able to visit your property and advise on what it is best to do. It may take several weeks, at best, for the insurer to send out their representative, a loss adjuster. Therefore, the sooner you can get some professional advice, the better.

4. Check what your insurance policy says about your cover.

This may just be jargon to you. However, it is the basis on which you can negotiate with the insurer and their loss adjuster.

If you feel you just cannot effectively do that, remember you can still appoint a loss assessor to represent you. You can do this even if your claim has started. They will take on board the negotiation and policy interpretation for you, fighting to gain you a fair settlement.

5. If you move out of your storm-damaged property, check whether your insurance policy entitles you to claim for the cost of temporary alternative accommodation.

Again, this is something with which a loss assessor can help, once they have seen your policy.

6. If you need to arrange quick repairs, keep receipts.

This is a tricky one, if you have had no response from your insurer but really need to act. A loss assessor can advise you on what it is wise to do with regard to your storm damage.

If you instruct Property Claim Assist, they will provide trusted contractors to carry out your repairs. If you use these, the loss assessing service comes free of charge. Additionally, you will not be asked to pay anything for your claim’s management and repairs. You will just have the excess that you agreed to pay, deducted by your insurer.

How Property Claim Assist Can Help

Don’t despair. Storm damage can be significant and the event itself may have been terrifying but insurance should put things right. The key thing is to make sure you gain your full entitlement from your property insurance. This applies whether it is for your home or business. Then you can return to the position you were in before the storm.

To seek to do that, with professional assistance at every turn and in a way that can be free of charge, call Property Claim Assist on 0333 577 2720.

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Client Feedback

Reviews from previous policyholders that have appointed Property Claim Assist to manage their claim.

We pride ourselves on managing your property insurance claim, ensuring that we take the weight off your shoulders, with a stress free process.

“Thank goodness I had these guys by my side”

After a traumatic accidental house fire I was a little lost on how to deal with the insurance and the claim. I reached out to these guys and thank god I did! Simon and everyone else at Property Claim Assist were invaluable and I honestly don’t know if I could have got through it all without them. Handling a big and complex insurance claim is very stressful and complicated. The guys at PCA explained how everything worked and guided me through it all and took up a lot of slack and a lot of the work. Thank goodness I had these guys to depend on.

Paul, Fire Insurance Claim
“Professional Handling of the Claim while I was Overseas”
Professional, timely, efficient and effective handling of a massive Escape of Water Claim in a Grade II listed cottage. Gary knows the process, has the contacts and gets things done. I was having to deal with this loss while overseas, so having the Property Claim Assist interfacing with the insurance company, surveyor and contractors was a godsend. Would not have had such a fabulous remediation without Property Claim Assist.

Dr Ford, Fire Insurance Claim, Fire Insurance Claim

“Amazing from start to finish”

Where do I start…Property Claim Assist took our case on when no one else would. They have been brilliant from day 1. We were fighting a loosing battle with the insurance company. They were 100% professional and adept from start to finish. They have been patient and empathetic and got the job done. We will be forever grateful to PCA. The experience has been life changing in many ways but we are in a massively better off position than we were before we contacted them. I cannot recommend PC Assist highly enough.

Alison, Property Insurance Claim, Fire Insurance Claim