Following the UK’s first named storms of the season, you may be breathing a sigh of relief, clearing up a few fallen branches, or perhaps dealing with the aftermath of more significant damage.
Whether you spent the storm checking weather updates, moving garden furniture indoors or keeping an eye on a worrying leak, severe weather has a way of making us look at our homes differently. It often highlights the things we hadn’t noticed before, from a loose fence panel to a gutter that struggled to cope with heavy rain.
According to the Met Office, storms may be named when they have the potential to cause disruption or damage significant enough to trigger amber or red weather warnings. The aim is to help people take action and protect themselves and their property.
Now that the storm has passed, it could be a good opportunity to ask yourself a simple question:
if the next storm arrived tomorrow, would your home be ready for it?
Could your home insurance help?
If your property has been affected by severe weather, your buildings insurance, contents insurance or combined home insurance policy may help with some of the costs associated with repairing storm damage, depending on the cover you have in place.
Cover may include damage caused by:
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- High winds affecting your roof, windows or doors
- Fallen trees damaging your home or other insured structures
- Water entering your property as a result of insured storm damage
- Damage to garages, sheds or outbuildings, where included within your policy
- Damage to insured household contents following an insured event.
Some policies may also provide temporary accommodation if your home becomes uninhabitable following an insured claim.
If you rent your home, responsibility for insuring the building will typically rest with your landlord. However, protecting your personal belongings may require separate contents insurance.
As always, cover, conditions, exclusions and limits vary between insurers and policies, so it’s important to check your individual policy documentation.
Storms can take a toll on UK homes
Severe weather can have a significant impact on homes across the UK. According to the Association of British Insurers (ABI), insurers paid out £758 million for weather-related damage to people’s homes and possessions during 2025, while storm damage to homes alone accounted for £244 million, up 32% on the previous year. These figures highlight just how disruptive storms and extreme weather can be for households across the country.
What has the storm taught you?
Now the weather has subsided, take a walk around your property. You may notice that water collected in places you weren’t expecting. Perhaps a fence feels less secure than it did before, or a section of guttering overflowed during the heaviest downpour. These aren’t necessarily urgent problems, but they can be useful warning signs.
Storms often don’t create problems from nowhere. They reveal issues that have developed gradually over time. A slipped roof tile, blocked drain or overgrown tree branch might not attract much attention in calm weather, but strong winds and heavy rain can quickly expose vulnerabilities.
The storm may have highlighted areas of your property that deserve a little extra attention. Making a note of them now can help you prioritise maintenance and improvements before the next spell of severe weather arrives.
Looking ahead
While no one can predict exactly what the weather will bring this autumn and winter, there are a few practical steps that could help reduce the impact of future storms.
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- One idea is to create a simple digital home file containing photographs of your property, insurance documents, emergency contact numbers and receipts for valuable items. If you ever need to contact your insurer following damage, having this information readily available could prove useful.
- It’s also worth thinking about what’s outside your home. Garden furniture, planters, trampolines and storage boxes can become hazards in strong winds if they’re not properly secured. Before stormy weather arrives, a quick check of your garden could help prevent avoidable damage.
- Finally, consider making property maintenance part of your autumn routine. Clearing gutters, checking roof tiles, inspecting fences and trimming overhanging branches may help identify potential issues before severe weather puts them to the test.
You can’t control the forecast, but you can take steps to make your home more resilient. Sometimes the most valuable lesson from a storm isn’t what happened, but what you choose to do differently before the next one arrives.
Is your home insurance still right for you?
Life changes, home improvements, new possessions and changing weather patterns can all affect the level of protection that’s appropriate for your circumstances.
Taking a moment to review your home insurance can help you understand what cover you have in place and whether it continues to meet your individual needs.
If you’d like to discuss your current arrangements, contact us for a home insurance review. We can help you understand the cover you have in place, and identify any areas you may wish to review to help ensure it continues to reflect your needs and circumstances.
Russell Butlin
Personal Lines Director
Adler Fairways
