Storms could cause around £324m of damage to homes

Up to 620,000 home insurance claims are made every year for storm-related damage, according to recent research from Abbey. The estimated cost of these claims is £324 million or on average £522 per claim.

In response to recent storm conditions and with the prospect of more to come, Abbey is warning people to make sure they have the appropriate cover for their home as the storm season begins.

Prasad Shastri, Head of Insurance Marketing for Abbey said: "In the last week we have seen storm and tornado weather across mainland Britain. Already we have seen a significant increase in storm related claims within the last month and this is expected to continue into 2007. Worryingly many people do not protect their homes properly despite the severe costs that storm damage can cause.

“We would advise all home owners not only to prepare their property, but also make sure that they are in a position to limit the costs of any damages that might occur by making sure their home is adequately insured ".

Abbey, which offers an unlimited sum insured on its buildings and contents insurance, is offering the following guidance to help you prepare for a storm and protect your home from damage:

Your Home

Check your roof for loose tiles. They may be potentially hazardous if they fall, and can cause more damage to the interior of the house if they come away.

Check the outside of your building and secure anything that might potentially be damaged or may cause damage e.g. shutters, gates and loose drainpipes.

Be aware of any trees surrounding the house, loose branches can cause damage to telephone lines and windows in high winds.

Make sure you know how to switch off your gas, electricity and water if necessary.

If you are expecting flooding, protect as many of your belongings as possible by moving them upstairs. If you can, use sandbags to prevent water coming into the home.

Your Insurance

Make sure that your house has both contents and buildings cover and that the insurance is adequate and will cover any potential storm related damage that might occur.

Your insurance company should be able to advise you if you need to make a claim.

Abbey customers have access to a claims specialists by calling a dedicated claims hotline
Abbey’s Peace of Mind insurance policy has been given a five star rating (for homes with 5 bedrooms or fewer) by Defaqto for the second year running.(2) Abbey offers its home insurance customers a 24-hour emergency storm-related claims helpline.

Advice on how to ensure that you have adequate cover for your house and possessions is available at any branch of Abbey, or for a quotation call 0800 783 8483 or visit www.abbey.com Our products are also available from Independent Financial Advisers.