Flood & storm insurance for property abroad
Following the devastating mudslides and floods that swept the Portuguese holiday island of Madeira, holiday home owners are urged to check their property insurance abroad covers flood and storm damage.
Winds in excess of 70mph, hours of torrential rain, streams of water and mud swept through the capital Funchal, destroying homes, cars and felling trees. Adverse weather has also battered other parts of Europe this winter, with parts of Spain and France also being flooded.
Many owners of overseas property who lock up and leave their homes over winter are often unaware of the extent of the extreme weather that pounds properties in Europe, as they only visit when the sun is shining.
Although these owners are likely to have insurance in place, it’s prudent to check the extent of flood & storm cover foreign insurance policies provide, as they are often not as comprehensive as what we are used to here in the UK.
If you are unsure what flood & storm cover a policy provides, check with the insurer if:
- Flood damage: does the policy cover flood damage from overflowing rivers and drains, as some policies only cover damage caused by flooding inside the property – overflowing baths and burst pipes for example.
- How does the insurer define storm damage: some policies don’t cover storm damage unless the wind speed and rainfall exceeds a set minimum recorded at the nearest weather station. For example, wind speeds must exceed 55 mph, or 25mm of rainfall in any 24 hour period.
- What is the claims notification period: Some insurers stipulate that you have a limited number of days to submit a claim following loss or damage. This has obvious implications if you arrive at your holiday home to discover that a storm six weeks ago has damaged the roof tiles.
- Does the insurance also cover:
-Trees falling onto your house
-Snow damage, to gutters for example
-Items in the garden, although storm damage to fences and gates is unlikely
to be covered
-Lightning damage
Throughout winter, torrential rain and storms have swept along Europe, causing power cuts, damaging property and a forcing a number of rivers to burst their banks.
If you haven’t done so yet, get your holiday home checked by your key holder for any signs of damage and clarify with your insurer what cover you have with regards to flooding and storms.