As Storms Loom HomeOwners Need To Protect Their Property
Published: 10 November 2010 By MoneyHighStreet Staff Leave a Comment
With gales set to hit much of the UK on Thursday and Friday, Aviva is advising homeowners to take basic precautions to protect themselves and their property.
Firstly, as Rob Townend, director of property claims at Aviva says “Like floods, tornadoes, earthquakes and freeze, storms and gales are covered as standard by your home insurance policy”
He added “There is no such thing as an “Act of God” exclusion – this is exactly what your insurance covers you for! So any damage caused to your property as a direct result of storm force wind and rain is covered.”
Of course this may be subject to specific limits in terms of the value of claims you can make. For example you decide the value of your contents when you buy home insurance and therefore any claims you make are subject to the value you have set.
It is therefore vital not to undervalue your contents – if you have a wine collection for example, don’t forget to include it.
As Aviva suggests there are some steps to take before a storm, including
- Park the car in a garage, or away from large trees.
- Secure or lock- away loose objects such as garden furniture and ornaments, bikes, children’s toys and ladders.
- Fasten all doors and windows.
- With electrical storms, remove the aerial from the TV set.
You can also take precautions to protect your home from flood damage.
After the storm, if your property suffers damage, ring your insurer immediately. Many insurance companies have a dedicated teams of experts who will be able to give you advice on how to prevent further damage and to assist you in sorting out your claim.
The most common types of storm claims include
- Roof tiles blown off, often in conjunction with damage to gutters, fascias etc.
- TV/radio aerials damaged.
- Breakage of glass – most often greenhouse glass.
- Lifting of roofing felt, particularly on sheds.
- Damage to chimneys.
- Trees falling down and damaging buildings
- Boundary walls blown down.
Critically an insurance policy is not a maintenance policy – most companies expect your home to be in reasonable condition, wear and tear isn’t covered. Fences, gates and hedges that have blown down as a direct result of high winds are also generally excluded.
