"It is essential that excess water has somewhere to drain, and that ornaments and outbuildings can be secured in the event of high winds."
- Jon Bird, NFU Mutual property claims manager
In February 2022, Storms Dudley, Eunice, and Franklin hit the UK in quick succession, bringing 120mph winds, localised flooding, and damage to transport systems. This led to over 13k individuals filing claims with NFU Mutual.
The vast majority were living in the South West and South East of England as well as part of Wales. On average, the cost of damage reported to the insurer was £7k but some claims drastically exceeded this figure.
Consequently, the insurer has called for greater storm resilience, advising customers to ‘clear, fix, and repair’ regularly to protect their homes from storms in the future. This includes making sure all doors and windows can be securely closed, purchasing torches and batteries in case of power cuts, repairing loose fence panels or gates, and checking slates/ roofing sheets are in place.
For business owners, NFU Mutual suggests ensuring emergency contact details for employees are up to date, parking company vehicles away from walls, fences, or trees, and making sure outdoor signage or displays can be brought inside.
Commenting on these findings, Jon Bird, NFU Mutual property claims manager, has said:
“Now over a year on from Storms Dudley, Eunice, and Franklin, we can clearly see how destructive periods of extreme weather can be. Over 13,000 NFU Mutual customers suffered damage because of the storms, ranging from missing roof tiles to entire outbuildings being destroyed.
“We were able to assist many customers immediately with cash payments for smaller claims and mobilised our network before the storm to repair damage as quickly as possible. However, the storms showed us it is more important than ever that people make sure they are storm resilient. That’s why we’re urging everyone to clear, fix, fasten and repair regularly to protect themselves from the worst of extreme weather before it is forecast.
“It also means considering how home or property improvements, such as laying driveways or artificial grass or adding outbuildings and ornaments, will stand up in extreme weather. It is essential that excess water has somewhere to drain, and that ornaments and outbuildings can be secured in the event of high winds.”
