How to make a successful insurance claim for storm and weather damage

Consumer rights expert Martyn James has put together a guide so you know your rights if you need to make a claim after the weather strikes

As I write this article, the UK is more or less covered in snow and temperatures have dipped to below zero in most places.

January is a tough time for many people as the Christmas hangover subsides, we confront our spending and payday takes a longer time to come around.

So the last thing you need is the additional expense that can arise from storm and weather damage to your home.

Yet this is peak time for claims on home and contents insurance policies. Every year, I hear from readers who are deeply unhappy with how their claims have been investigated.

Damage to you home can take a while to repair and many people object to claims being turned down. Rejected claims can involve anything from ‘wear and tear’ to disputes over whether the storm was ‘severe’ enough to justify an insurance claim paying out.

It’s easy to feel a little lost when this happens. But don’t worry – I’ve put together an all-new guide so you know your rights if you need to make a claim after the weather strikes.

How is the damage to my property assessed?

As a general rule, insurance companies are relatively quick to begin investigating when there is significant damage as a result of a storm or bad weather. However, if lots of people in your local area are affected, this can have an impact on the time it takes to start the process.

Your insurer will initially send out a ‘loss adjuster’ to assess the damage and the repairs that need to be carried out as a priority. The loss adjuster will also provide a report laying out the subsequent repairs that will be required at a later stage.

If you disagree with the assessment of the loss adjuster, then you should complain to the insurance underwriter as soon as possible.

However, some people choose to hire a ‘loss assessor’ – an independently contracted business that will deal with the claim and the insurance company on your behalf for a fee. You shouldn’t need to do this for a standard claim, but if the damage is significant, you may want to consider this option.

How to make an effective home insurance claim for storm or weather damage

When your home is damaged it’s easy to feel a little overwhelmed.. But don’t worry, there’s a straightforward process to making an insurance claim.

• Call your insurance company to log your claim as soon as you can, even if the problem with the storm or bad weather is still ongoing. Try to get as much practical advice from them as you can.
• Write down a few reminders before you call covering what’s gone wrong and the questions you want answering. This will help you stay focused.
• Remember to make a note of when you called and who you spoke to.
• Keep a record of any extra spending you’ve incurred during the incident, including hotel bills and emergency repair works, as this may be covered by your policy too.
• Make sure you keep your supporting documentation in a safe place with your insurance documents if you have them. Photo any key documents and receipts so you have a back up.
• When you have the time to do so, make a list covering the damage to your property and possessions. Take photographs too if you can. Make a bullet point list all of the items you own that have been damaged.

How do I find out what will happen next?

Speak to the insurance company about what will happen next. Remember to ask about:

• What they are proposing (repairs, structural work, contents).
• Timescales.
• Accommodation if the property is uninhabitable.
• Special requirements (if you have medical conditions that affect where you can be rehoused).
• Contractors and their contact details.
• Security.

Don’t forget to ask for a dedicated contact telephone line with the insurance company that you can call for updates.

What other things do I need to bear in mind?

Don’t authorise your own contractors to carry out repairs without speaking to the insurer first. You might not be covered if your chosen contractor is more expensive than the insurer’s choice.

When you make a home and contents claim, make sure you explain the impact on you personally. This is particularly important if you’re ill or have a young family and you can’t stay in your property.

Not only does it mean your claim will be dealt with more effectively. It will also personalise the case so the insurer understands the impact on you. The insurer should make special arrangements to suit your circumstances. If you work from home then the insurer needs to know this too.

Weather-related claims can be complex and may take a while to resolve fully. So, speak to the insurer, get them to explain to you what they’re doing, any changes to the timescales you were initially given and if your property needs to be ‘future proofed’ to prevent problems recurring.

What can go wrong?

The biggest challenge with storm and flood complaints is the time it can take to sort things out. If your property has been structurally damaged, it can take a long time – on some occasions years – before the property is habitable. During that time, you may find yourself in alternative accommodation for a prolonged period.

One of the more common areas of complaint relates to problems with contractors, from loss adjusters to builders and specialist tradespeople. Don’t forget, your contract is with the insurance company, so if you’re unhappy with a contractor, speak to the insurer.

Wear and tear

Claims rejected due to ‘wear and tear’ are also common. This occurs when the insurer concedes that damage has occurred but argues that the storm or weather is not directly responsible or is merely the catalyst for something that would have happened anyway.

Both insurers and the Financial Ombudsman will look at the weather in your local area from official sources to assess if the weather was responsible for the damage.

Allegations of wear and tear are subjective though. If your fence is rotten, then realistically, it may well have fallen down at some point. But tiles falling off the roof aren’t necessarily grounds for a claim rejection even if there was some existing wear to your roof.

The key factor with wear and tear disputes is ‘what should you have known?’ If you don’t think you’ve been treated fairly, make a complaint.

What about power cuts?

It’s not just damage to your property that you can complain about. Many people have found themselves without power for extended periods of time.

If your local area is affected by a power cut, make sure you check in on older or more vulnerable neighbours to see if they’re okay. There are lots of local support services available through your local council and power company that you can contact to help them.

Anyone affected by a prolonged loss of service may be entitled to compensation, according to regulator Ofgem. This is known as the ‘Guaranteed Standards of Service’ – rules that govern when compensation kicks in.

The compensation varies depending on how long the power is out – there’s a full table on the Ofgem website here. Compensation is paid by your energy network supplier , not your energy provider. If you’re not sure who this is, speak to the business that supplies your energy.

What to do if you’re unhappy

If you don’t feel the work of the contractors is up to an appropriate standard, make a note of all your objections and see if you can get some free quotes from other specialists in the area. Don’t authorise the tradesperson to go ahead with the work. Speak to the insurance underwriter and see if they are willing to replace the contractor based on your quote.

If you’re unhappy with the way your claim has been handled, then make a formal complaint. You don’t need to wait until the work is complete to do this. In fact, you can complain about an insurance issue at any point during the claim. This should have no bearing on how you are treated.

If the insurance company doesn’t sort things out, you can take your complaint to the free Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) who has the power to tell the insurer to make things right if they agree with your complaint.

You can go to the ombudsman after eight weeks even if the complaint isn’t resolved. But given the complexity of storm and weather claims, you might want to hold fire until you’ve made a bit more progress. Sometimes the threat of the ombudsman can prompt better service.

• Martyn James is a leading consumer rights campaigner, TV and radio broadcaster and journalist.