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Homeowners across the UK have spoken out after being refused insurance claims for storm damage. This follows the story of Dennis Iliffe, who had his original claim rejected because wind speeds in Kidderminster during Storm Darragh hit 53 mph, just shy of the 55 mph required for a claim. Residents across the country have since come forward to say their claims were refused because it was “not windy enough”.
The Association of British Insurers (ABI) has said insurers look at wind strength, but customers can complain to the company and then contact the ombudsman if they are unsatisfied. In Mr Iliffe’s case, insurer Ageas later agreed to settle the claim after he spoke to the BBC. However, another person living in nearby Powick said their claim had been rejected by a different insurer as the wind only reached 49 mph, despite losing the felt from their garage roof.
In south Wales, Lyndon Witts said his insurer refused a claim after his roof leaked. Despite his roof having sustained visible damage, Mr Witts’ claim was rejected on the grounds that it was “not windy enough and not enough rain fall”. With some insurers rejecting claims if the wind speed is not high enough, one resident in Coventry complained that the wind had damaged his newly-purchased car, and as a result, his insurer pledged to fix the now-leaking roof but he would have to use his own savings to pay for other fixes.
The BBC has also reported on the case of Angela Clarke, 70, from North Lincolnshire, who was told her insurance company would not pay for the damage caused to her chimney by a storm. Ms Clarke said that she had warned her insurance company that the chimney could potentially fall and injure or kill somebody if another storm hit. Describing her insurance company as “horrendously unhelpful,” she said that “fortunately, the local authority helped us by doing an emergency interim repair after agreeing it could endanger life.”
Insurance claims have been refused across the country, with one roofer telling Ms Clarke that nearly all claims for storm damage to chimneys were being turned down by insurers. After some law firms have voiced their concerns on social media regarding this issue, lawyers dealing with claims believe insurers may further resist claims by alluding to the latter’s bespoke guidance on how to assess storm damage
Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More
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