Keep your home safe during a storm

If there’s a storm warning for your area, you’ll want to act fast to keep you, your family and your home safe from harm.

What to do when a storm is imminent:

• Listen to weather warnings online, on TV, or on the radio. You can also check wind speed and rainfall in your area on the Met Office website.
• Park your car in a garage if you have one. This is the safest place to protect it from damage caused by falling branches, roof tiles or other debris. 
• Store or secure garden furniture and play-equipment. If you must leave items outside, make sure they’re securely fastened to the ground with a tether or by adding extra weight, like sandbags, to the base. Close any gates and lock any outbuildings like sheds or playhouses.
• Hunker down indoors – close all your doors and windows and stay inside until the storm passes. 
• Stay away from windows and close blinds or curtains, they’ll provide an extra layer of protection if flying debris causes damage to your windows.
•  Unplug your tech – this will protect it from power surges that can be caused by lightning strikes or when energy returns following an outage.
• Be prepared – gather items like bottled water, batteries, torches and chargers, so you know where they are if the power cuts out. If you do experience a power cut, try to avoid opening your fridge or freezer doors – keeping them closed will help preserve the temperature and any food inside for as long as possible.
• Stay indoors. Never venture outside during a storm, even if it’s to fix a flapping fence panel or secure a lose tile. Going outside puts you at risk of injury. Stay indoors and wait until the storm has passed before making repairs or checking for any signs of damage.
• Caught out in a storm? If you’re away from home when a storm strikes, take shelter. This may be in a public space such as a shopping centre or inside your car, where the metal frame can help protect against lightning strikes. Keep away from trees and electricity pylons and don’t attempt to drive as gusts of wind, torrential rain and debris can make travelling dangerous. 

After the storm passes:

• Visually inspect your roof from the ground - look for missing, misaligned or cracked tiles and signs of loose flashing around chimneys, vents and skylights. 
• Use binoculars or the zoom function in your phone’s camera to take a closer look, as this is safer than climbing up onto a roof that may be unstable.
• Temporary repairs are classed as minor repairs that must be made to the home to prevent further damage, tarpaulin over a hole in the roof for example. If your home is at risk of further damage, such as water getting in through a gap in your tiles, then you should get the temporary repairs completed as soon as possible. Keep a record of any invoices or payments so you can add these to your claim.
• Notify your insurer of any permanent repairs that need to take place, so they can validate the damage and approve any work that may be required.
• If your home is flooded, follow our advice on what to do.

What does your insurance cover?

You’ll need to check your policy documents for full details of what you’re covered for, but here’s a general overview of what we cover (and what we don’t):

✓ Damage to your buildings caused by flood. 

✓ Damage to your buildings caused by storm. 

✓ Damage caused by falling trees or branches. 

✓ Damage caused by falling TV aerials, radio aerials, or satellite dishes. 

✓ Damage caused by water escaping from underground pipes or water tanks.

✓ If your home can’t be lived in after a valid claim, we’ll find you alternative accommodation while it’s being repaired. 

We don’t cover:

✗ Loss or damage due to wear and tear or lack of maintenance.

✗ Damage caused to fences, gates or hedges.

✗ Damage caused by frost to outside water pipes or tanks.

✗ Some damage that occurs when your home is unoccupied for 60 days or longer.

✗ Loss or damage that took place before your cover started.

Cover limits and exclusions apply.

What do we class as a storm?

For any damage to your property to be considered storm damage, the conditions in your area at the time need to meet one or more of the following criteria:

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

If you need to claim on your insurance:

If you’re a Direct Line policyholder, your safety and wellbeing are our priority. In the event of storm damage to your property, let us know as soon as possible.

If you can do so safely, take photographs of the damage to your building and contents (or film it); this may help with the settlement of your claim.

During times of severe weather our phone lines get very busy. If you need to make a claim, avoid the queue by using the Direct Line app or your online account. Here’s how:

1. Sign into your account online or in the app
2. Log your claim securely, step by step
3. Save details as you go
4. Add supporting evidence quickly and easily
5. Manage your claim in your own time
6. View repairer details and track progress

Check your excess

If you are eligible to make a claim, you’ll need to pay an excess. Check how much you’ll pay for an escape of water, subsidence or other claims. You can find details and update your cover in the app.

If you have a question or need more help, visit our help page.