Leading rural insurer NFU Mutual urges people across the UK to act now to stormproof their homes and businesses as it warns that, once a storm is forecast, it may be too late or too dangerous to do so.
Last year, Scotland and the North East of England were battered by 90mph winds during Storm Arwen, causing substantial damage which was compounded by the fact that the wind came from an unusual north-easterly direction.
This was followed by Storms Dudley, Eunice and Franklin, which hit the country in quick succession earlier this year. High-speed gales again hit homes and businesses, with the South of England and parts of Wales taking the brunt of the destructive winds.
Together, the storms caused damage totalling over £170 million as NFU Mutual supported over 20,000 customers with claims. Across the UK, trees were ripped from their roots, roofs were destroyed, outbuildings brought down, and homes, businesses and vehicles damaged by debris, as well as power outages and transport cancellations bringing widespread disruption.
Jon Bird, Property Claims Manager at NFU Mutual, said:
“NFU Mutual supported over 20,000 customers with claims resulting from Storms Arwen, Dudley, Eunice and Franklin, and in some cases is still supporting people through larger repairs.
“While not all damage from extreme weather events will be preventable, now is the time to look at your home or business and take action to minimise the risk of storm damage.
“Simple steps like having somewhere to put outside furniture, or the means to tie furniture and items like trampolines down, as well as making sure roof tiles and outbuildings are secure and removing overhanging branches, can effectively protect your property.
“It’s also important to remember that it is often too late to stormproof once a storm is forecast. Extreme weather endangers lives and the most important thing is to keep yourself and your loved ones safe. Stormproofing now will mean you can concentrate on your own safety when a storm does hit.
“At NFU Mutual, we will be prepared to activate our emergency response as soon as we know a severe weather event is coming – my advice is that homeowners and business owners are similarly prepared before a storm is forecast.”
NFU Mutual’s checklist for stormproofing now
Make sure all doors and windows can be securely closed.
Prepare for power cuts: Have torches and batteries to hand and make sure any generators are ready to use if required. If you are using candles, make sure you use them safely and extinguish when leaving the room, and make sure nothing hangs over the candles.
Inspect your property and make repairs to things like loose fence panels or gates.
Make sure gutters are not leaking and are clear of leaves and other debris.
Have a space to put loose outdoor furniture like garden chairs and trampolines. If you do not have an indoor space in which to put them, ensure you have a means of tying down or otherwise securing the furniture.
Safely check that tiles, slates and roofing sheets are in place, securing any that are not.
Inspect trees on your property, removing loose or overhanging branches which may cause damage to your or others’ property in a storm.
Repair or unblock any faulty drains.
If you have a garage, clear a space for your vehicle in the event of a storm. If you do not have a garage, plan where you can park vehicle during a storm – this should be away from any walls, fences or branches which could fall and damage the vehicle.
Protect and lag water pipes in vulnerable areas and know where the water supply is so that you can turn it off in the event of burst pipes.
Stay alert for Met Office weather warnings in your area.
Have your insurer’s emergency helpline number available.
Additional advice for business owners
In addition to the above, business owners can:
Ensure you have emergency contact details for employees to maintain contact during an extreme weather event.
If you have company vehicles, make sure these are parked away from walls, fences or branches which could damage the vehicles.
Make sure outdoor signage or displays can be secured or brought inside.
Ensure you have adequate signage warning customers of things like wet floors that may be more common during extreme weather.
Prepare an emergency evacuation route in the event of unexpectedly severe weather.
Ensure central heating will come on during freezing weather to avoid frozen pipes, and consider procuring sandbags to protect your business in the event of a flood.
Make sure you have a way of communicating closures with customers.
Consider transport routes to the business and whether traveling will be safe and practical.
