Your rights to insurance, refunds and claims if home, travel or car affected in UK storms
Strong winds and heavy rain continued with Storm Herminia rolling in from Spain - although the Met Office has not classed conditions strong enough to be declared a storm on UK soil.
Despite this, the wet and windy weather is still wreaking havoc on homes and cars, as well as chaos on the roads and trains.
Home insurance for storms
Most home insurance policies in the UK cover damage caused by storms, which includes things like roof damage, broken windows, flooding, and fallen trees.
However, the policyholder will usually need to show that the damage was caused directly by the storm.
The buildings insurance part of the home insurance policy should cover the cost to repair or replace structural damage.
The contents insurance part of the home insurance policy covers damage to personal belongings. Not all homeowners have contents insurance included in their home insurance policy, and if you rent a property, it is your responsibility - not the landlord's - to have contents insurance on anything you own in the home.
Home insurance can include cover for temporary accommodation needed if the property becomes uninhabitable.
Businesses can buy business interruption cover when purchasing their insurance policies and this covers additional costs to run the business due to an emergency, such as a flooded premises.
Home insurance exclusions for storm damage
Most home insurance providers have clauses in their contracts stating they are not liable to pay out for all damage.
Wear and tear: This is usually an exclusion in home insurance so policy holders will need to differentel between what is storm damage and what has been caused by other factors.
Extreme weather events: Some policies can have clauses to exclude some extreme/unusual weather patterns, or only offer limited coverage for specific types of home insurance.
Power cut compensation
Depending on the severity of the storm, network operators have between 24 and 48 hours to restore power during severe weather.
Ofgem categorises the storms into two severity levels - different to the Met Office's classifications.
If a storm falls into category 1, power networks must pay £85 compensation if electricity isn't restored within 24 hours. Households get an extra £40 for every six hours afterwards, up to a maximum of £2,000.
Storm category 2 gives power networks 48 hours to restore electricity, with £85 compensation paid if not, and an additional £40 every six hours afterwards up to a maximum of £2,000.
These deadlines are longer and compensation less than when a power cut occurs and there hasn't been severe weather.
If you suffer a power cut at any other time - not during severe weather - the local network company has either 12 or 24 hours to restore supply, depending on how many homes are affected.
If they don't meet this target, homeowners and businesses are eligible for compensation.
For power cuts to less than 5,000 premises, network companies have 12 hours to restore electricity, or pay residents £95 and businesses £180. They get an extra £40 for each additional 12 hours.
For power cuts to more than 5,000 premises, the deadline is 24 hours. The compensation is the same and households and businesses get a further £40 for each additional 12 hours of being without power, after the first 24 hours has passed.
Payments are usually automatic, but you can also contact your network operator.
For more information on power cut compensation, visit Ofgem here.
Car insurance for storm damage
Comprehensive car insurance should cover the cost of repairing or replacing vehicles damaged during a storm, although not all policies do so check the terms.
Third party or third party fire and theft policies are unlikely to cover flooding.
Many insurance providers look at whether the flood damage was avoidable. For example, if you chose to drive through a badly flooded road deliberately and you became stranded, this may be considered avoidable.
NimbleFins has written this helpful article to explain your car insurance rights if you car floods.
Refunds for missed trains
Trains: Each train company has slightly different rules on how long a journey must be delayed before a passenger is entitled to compensation. Some so-called Delay Repay schemes kick in after just 15 minutes but most are half an hour, with the percentage of compensation rising when delays are more than an hour.
Affected passengers can claim compensation up to 28 days after the journey.
The amount of compensation offered will depend on how long the delay was but also the type of ticket purchased. For example season ticket holders won't be entitled to as much of a refund as those with a day return or single ticket.
Cancelled flight rights
If your flight is cancelled the airline can offer a refund or find an alternative route or later flight to your destination.
They do not have to pay compensation if the storm cancelled the flight as it is not their fault.
Travel insurance can help here. Some insurance providers offer a refund, rebooking or compensation for additional expenses like food, hotels and transport.
Tips when making a claim
Document everything: Keep records of the damage, receipts for repairs, and any communication with insurance companies or service providers. Photographs can also be helpful for claims.
Check policy terms: Policies may vary, and some exclusions may apply, such as damage that was pre-existing or not directly caused by the storm.
Make a claim promptly: Report claims quickly - insurance providers may have time limits on how long you have to claim.
Read more: