What help you can get if your home is hit by a storm

If your home is hit by a storm the first thing to do is make sure you and everyone in your household is safe and gets medical attention if they need it. Next, you need to check for gas leaks, report if there’s a power cut or any damage to sewage or drains as these can all make your home unsafe to remain in.

If your home feels unsafe – or could be potentially unsafe – it’s important to move to a place of safety and report any hazards as soon as possible.

If you smell gas, suspect a gas leak or have a carbon monoxide emergency call the 24-hour National Gas emergency hotline on: 0800 111 999. For more help on what to do in a gas emergency see the National Gas website for emergency contactsOpens in a new window

In England, Scotland or Wales call the National Grid 24-hour emergency information number on: 0800 6783 105 in Northern Ireland, call: 03457 643643. For further guidance see the National Grid’s contact information on its websiteOpens in a new window

If the storm has affected the sewage system your home is connected to – including burst water mains - you should report it immediately to your local water company. To find your local water company see Water UK’s postcode checkerOpens in a new window

While it can feel overwhelming, it’s important to contact your insurer as soon as you can. The costs of repairs can skyrocket if damage is left unchecked. It is also common for policies to include the cost of finding alternate accommodation – so if you don’t contact your insurer immediately you could miss out on vital help.

If you are a homeowner, it’s likely that your home buildings insurance policy covers storm damage. However, the amount that it will cover, and specific exclusions depend on your provider and your policy, so it’s important to check as soon as possible.

When you lodge a claim with your provider, they will likely check with the Met Office to see if a storm has been recorded for your area.  According to the Association of British Insurers a storm is a period of “violent weather” defined asOpens in a new window:

• Wind speeds with gusts of at least 55mph
• Torrential rainfall at a rate of 25mm per hour
• Snow to a depth of at least one foot (30cm) in 24 hours
• Hail that damages hard surfaces or breaks glass.

Storms can cause damage to your roof, particularly with high winds and heavy rainfall. This could mean missing or broken tiles or a completely blown-off roof. However, you must keep up with your roof maintenance otherwise you may run the risk of your insurer putting the damage down to wear and tear rather the effects of the storm.

If you have to arrange emergency repairs yourself, tell your insurer. Remember to take photos of all the work needing to be done and keep any receipts, as this will form part of your claim. The ABI (Association of British Insurers) also advises not to throw away damaged items, unless they are a danger to your health, as these may be able to be repaired or restored. But always speak to your insurer first.

Many insurers exclude outbuildings like fences, garden sheds, gates and hedges, unless you have specific cover for them.

If your claim is rejected or disputed by your insurer you can escalate it to the Financial Ombudsman Service.  You’ll need to do this within six months of getting a final response from your provider.

The Financial Ombudsman ServiceOpens in a new window advises on its website that it generally considers three things when assessing complaints brought to them for storm damage claims:

• Did the storm occur on or around the date the damage is said to have happened?
• Is the damage claimed for consistent with what it generally sees as storm damage?
• Were storm conditions the main cause of the damage or were there other factors that meant the damage might have happened anyway?

Find out more in our guide How the Financial Ombudsman Service could help you.

If you don’t currently have buildings insurance, but think it is something you do want – check out our guide on buildings insurance.

If you’re a renter you’ll need to contact your landlord, as they will need to use their insurance to get the property safe enough for you to live in, and to get you into safe, temporary accommodation.

If they don’t have that insurance, or you don’t want to leave the property while it’s getting fixed,check your contract to see if there is anything in it which applies to the situation and might help you.

Speak to your landlord, and consider asking to not pay rent, or only pay reduced rent while staying within the property or needing to find your own alternative accommodation. Deciding to withhold or reduce rent without a formal agreement is very risky as you could be breaking your rental agreement. If you’re finding it difficult to come to an agreement, speak to ShelterOpens in a new window or Citizens AdviceOpens in a new window who have expert knowledge on housing issues.

The buildings insurance will cover the building itself – the walls, floors, ceilings etc – but everything inside it, such as your furniture, carpet, wallpaper, clothes, tech is not covered unless you’ve bought contents insurance.

Check your policy to see how much it’s worth, and what you’ll be able to replace. If you have no contents insurance, you’ll be responsible for replacing what you lost on your own.

According to the FCA’s research, 31% of households don’t have cover for their belongings, and 39% don’t have a buildings insurance policy – that means that a lot of people who have been impacted by flooding will have to cover the cost of repairs and the items they have lost on their own.

If you’ve been hit by a storm and don’t have insurance, contact your local Citizen’s AdviceOpens in a new window. They will be able to help you apply for financial assistance.

Check out their guide, as it highlights certain grants which you may be able to getOpens in a new window. Make sure that you are getting all the benefits you are entitled to. Our benefits calculator takes 5 mins to complete and will help you see if there’s any extra money you can claim.

If you can’t stay in your home because of the damage, you will be at risk of homelessness and need to contact your local authority to get help. This can be a complicated process, so don’t be afraid to get help from experts from Citizen’s AdviceOpens in a new window or ShelterOpens in a new window

If you can’t find an insurer because your home has a high risk of flooding, check the Flood Re site to find insurance that will cover youOpens in a new window

If you’ve been impacted by a flood, there’s a good chance that your vital documents, such as ID and insurance policies have been damaged, which will make getting help more complicated.

If you know who your providers are, call and ask them to send in the post or email you duplicates and/or replacements as soon as possible.

If you’ve lost your birth certificate, register on the General Register Office (GRO) website to get a new copy. It takes around 10 minutes and costs £12.50.

There’s a different process in ScotlandOpens in a new window and in Northern IrelandOpens in a new window

If you’ve lost your driving license, you’ll need to visit the DVLA siteOpens in a new window, which costs £20.

Replacing your passportOpens in a new window will cost you £88.50 and you’ll need to find someone to verify your identity.