Storm damage insurance

If you have a buildings and contents insurance policy for your home, it will almost certainly cover some level of weather or storm damage in the UK.

This means that if your home suffers storm and wind damage, your insurance provider should cover the cost of repairs. It’s likely that it'll also provide alternative accommodation cover.

This means you’ll have a safe place to stay if your home is unfit to live in while repair works are carried out.

Weather and storm damage insurance is typically included as standard in home insurance policies, both buildings and contents. It could help cover repairs or rebuilding costs if a storm damages your home.

• Storm damage under your buildings insurance should cover the main structure of your home including the roof, ceilings, walls, windows and doors

• Storm damage under your contents insurance should cover everything in your home including furniture, carpets and personal belongings if they’re damaged or destroyed by a storm.

It’s worth noting that it can be tricky to prove storm damage when claiming on your storm damage insurance. That’s because storms have an official definition when it comes to insurance.

According to the Association of British Insurers (ABI), a storm is a period of violent weather defined as:

• Wind speeds with gusts of at least 48 knots (55mph) equivalent to Storm Force 10 on the Beaufort Scale; or

• Torrential rainfall at a rate of at least 25mm per hour; or

• Snow to a depth of at least one foot (30cm) in 24 hours; or

• Hail of such intensity that it causes damage to hard surfaces or breaks glass.

How cover can differ

Each insurance provider will have its own definition of what a storm is. This should be listed in your policy documents.

You might consider high winds and heavy rainfall to be stormy conditions, but your insurance provider may not agree.

Some providers will use local weather station data to assess the conditions at the time your home suffered storm or wind damage.

The Beaufort Scale states that ‘light structural damage’, such as tiles being blown from your roof, could occur at 47mph+ winds.

But many providers stipulate that it’s not a storm unless winds reach at least 55mph. At this point, considerable structural wind damage is possible, according to the Beaufort Scale.

If you find yourself in a dispute with your provider about whether damage was caused by a ‘storm’, you could make a complaint and request the Financial Ombudsman to intervene.

First of all, wait until the storm has passed before assessing any damage. Only start checking when it’s safe to do so.

Take photos or videos of the damage. This could help support your claim and show assessors the extent of the damage. Anything that compromises the safety of your home should be a top priority.

As well as obvious damage, you may want to check:

• The roof – look for damaged and misplaced tiles, as well as gaps in the roof structure

• Windows and doors – damaged entry points could be a security threat, so will need to be repaired as soon as possible

• Walls – look out for wide, or diagonal, stepped cracks in the walls after a storm. This could indicate structural damage and will need to be inspected by a professional.

Remember, when checking for damage, don’t do anything that could put you or your household at risk. There could still be a risk of falling trees, debris or masonry. Be especially careful around exposed electrical wires or telephone cables. You may need to switch off your home’s gas, electricity or water supplies.

If your home hasn’t been well-maintained, your insurance provider might not pay out for a storm damage insurance claim.

Here are a few simple things you can do, to protect your home and belongings:

• Check water pipes regularly and repair any leaks – no matter how small

• Make sure your home is properly insulated

• Keep your gutters intact and free from debris

• Trim back any plants and trees growing near your property.

Planning ahead if a storm is coming

If you know there’s a storm brewing:

• Store your garden furniture away

• Secure any loose items outside your property like ladders, bins, trampolines and toys

• Park your car somewhere safe to protect it from falling tiles or trees

• Shut your windows and doors

• Charge your mobile phone and battery packs

• Keep essential documents like passports, driving licences and insurance details close to hand

• If you live in a flood-risk area, try to move essential or valuable items upstairs, or high up on the ground floor

• Keep everyone in your household, including pets, safe indoors until the storm has passed.

If anything needs to be fixed urgently, you might not be able to wait for your insurance provider to arrange a repair.

In this case, you’ll need to hire a professional to tackle the problem. Make sure you keep receipts, to claim the cost back from your insurance provider at a later date.

Remember, it’s never worth cutting corners to find a cheaper tradesperson. Any repair work that puts your home at further risk could end up costing you more in the long run.

According to the Association of British Insurers (ABI), insurers paid out £226 million for weather-related damage to homes in the first three months of 2025 alone.

Storm damage is covered by most standard home insurance policies.

We can help you find the right insurance policy to suit your needs and budget.

All we need is some information about you and your home. This includes details like the type of roof you have and your home’s rebuild value.

We’ll then provide you with a list of suitable quotes to choose from, in price order.