The UK experiences severe storms, flooding and extreme weather throughout the year, with winter months particularly active for named storms from the Met Office. Before severe weather strikes, review your home insurance to confirm you have adequate protection for storm damage, flooding and weather-related losses.

Many homeowners discover gaps in their cover only after filing a claim. Buildings insurance may not automatically include flood damage in high-risk areas, contents policies often exclude certain types of water damage, and standard excesses can increase significantly for weather claims. This checklist walks you through the essential steps to review your cover before the next storm.

What You Will Learn

This checklist shows you how to review your buildings and contents insurance for storm and flood protection, identify common exclusions, confirm your cover limits match current rebuild costs, and understand when you may need additional protection through Flood Re or specialist policies.

1. Confirm You Have Both Buildings and Contents Insurance

Buildings insurance protects the physical structure of your home (walls, roof, windows, permanent fixtures). Contents insurance covers your belongings inside the property (furniture, electronics, clothing, portable items). Storm damage can affect both.

If you own your home, you need buildings insurance. If you rent, your landlord’s buildings policy does not cover your possessions, so you need contents insurance. Many homeowners take out combined buildings and contents policies for convenience and often a lower total premium.

Check your policy documents or contact your insurer to confirm exactly what you have in place. According to the Association of British Insurers, both buildings and contents policies typically include storm damage as standard, but the definitions and exclusions vary by insurer (ABI, 2026).

2. Review Your Buildings Insurance for Storm and Flood Cover

Read your buildings insurance policy wording to confirm it covers storm damage and flood damage. Most standard buildings policies include storm cover, defined as wind speeds above a certain threshold (often 55 mph) or damage caused by heavy rain, snow or hail.

Flood cover may be included automatically in some policies, but properties in high-risk flood areas may face restrictions, higher excesses or the requirement to join the Flood Re scheme. Flood Re is a government-backed reinsurance scheme that helps homeowners in flood-risk areas access affordable flood insurance.

Check the following in your buildings policy:

  • Does it explicitly include flood damage and storm damage?
  • Are there any flood-risk exclusions or endorsements?
  • What is the excess for storm or flood claims (this may be higher than your standard excess)?
  • Does the policy cover damage to outbuildings, garden walls, gates and fences?

If your property is in a flood-risk area, ask your insurer whether your policy uses the Flood Re scheme.

3. Review Your Contents Insurance for Water Damage and Storm Cover

Contents insurance typically covers storm damage to your belongings (for example, a roof leak during a storm that damages your furniture or electronics). However, many contents policies exclude certain types of water damage, particularly gradual leaks or damage from lack of maintenance.

Check your contents policy wording for:

  • Storm damage cover for belongings
  • Water damage cover (confirm it includes sudden and unforeseen escape of water, not just gradual leaks)
  • Exclusions for items stored in outbuildings, sheds or garages
  • Excess amounts for storm or water damage claims

If you have high-value items such as jewellery, art or musical instruments, check whether these are covered up to their full value or whether you need to add them as specified items with individual cover limits.

4. Check Your Sum Insured Matches Current Rebuild Costs

Your buildings insurance sum insured should reflect the full cost to rebuild your home from the ground up, not its market value. Rebuild costs include demolition, debris removal, professional fees and construction at current labour and material prices.

Many homeowners underinsure because they base the sum insured on the purchase price of the property. According to Citizens Advice, underinsurance can result in reduced claim payouts, with insurers applying average (paying only a proportion of the claim based on the shortfall) (Citizens Advice, 2026).

Use your insurer’s rebuild calculator or consult the Building Cost Information Service (BCIS) or the Association of British Insurers’ online tools to estimate the correct rebuild cost for your property type, size and location. Update your sum insured if necessary.

For contents insurance, add up the replacement cost of all your belongings. Walk through each room and estimate what it would cost to replace everything new. Many people significantly underestimate this figure.

5. Understand Accidental Damage Cover and Whether You Need It

Standard buildings and contents policies cover storm damage, but they do not automatically cover accidental damage (for example, putting your foot through the ceiling, spilling red wine on the carpet, or a child breaking a window during play).

Accidental damage cover is typically an optional add-on. It can be useful during storm preparation and recovery when you may be moving furniture, securing outdoor items or making temporary repairs.

Review whether your policy includes accidental damage cover or whether you need to add it. The cost is usually modest, but the cover can save significant out-of-pocket expenses for common mishaps during severe weather.

6. Identify Exclusions That Could Affect Storm Claims

All buildings and contents policies contain exclusions. Common exclusions that can affect storm and flood claims include:

  • Damage caused by lack of maintenance (for example, a roof leak due to missing tiles you failed to repair)
  • Damage to property left outside or inadequately secured (garden furniture, trampolines)
  • Damage occurring while the property is unoccupied for more than a specified period (often 30 or 60 consecutive days)
  • Gradual water damage or rising damp
  • Damage to boundary walls, gates and fences (some policies exclude these or apply sub-limits)

Read your policy exclusions section carefully. If you have concerns about a specific risk, contact your insurer to clarify whether it is covered.

7. Review Your Excess and Consider Whether It Is Affordable

Your excess is the amount you pay towards any claim before your insurer pays the rest. Policies often have a standard excess (for example, £100 or £250) plus additional excesses for specific claim types.

Storm and flood claims may carry a higher excess than other claims. Some policies apply a flat excess (for example, £500 for any flood claim), while others apply a percentage of the sum insured (for example, 1 per cent of the buildings sum insured).

Check your policy schedule for:

  • Your standard excess
  • Any additional excesses for storm, flood or subsidence claims
  • Whether you have a voluntary excess (an amount you chose to add to reduce your premium)

If your total excess is unaffordable (for example, £1,000 or more), consider whether you can reduce your voluntary excess, even if this increases your premium slightly. An excess you cannot afford leaves you effectively uninsured.

8. Confirm Your Policy Is on New-for-Old or Indemnity Basis

Contents insurance can be written on a new-for-old basis (also called replacement as new) or an indemnity basis. New-for-old policies replace damaged or stolen items with new equivalents, while indemnity policies deduct an amount for age, wear and depreciation.

Most modern contents policies are new-for-old, but check your policy wording. If your policy is on an indemnity basis, a storm claim that damages your five-year-old sofa may result in a payout that reflects its depreciated value, not the cost of a new replacement.

Buildings insurance is typically on a reinstatement basis (rebuilding or repairing to the same standard), but confirm this in your policy wording.

9. Update Your Insurer If You Have Made Home Improvements

If you have extended your property, added a conservatory, installed a new kitchen or bathroom, or made other improvements since you took out your policy, inform your insurer. These changes increase the rebuild cost and the value of your contents.

Failure to notify your insurer of material changes can result in your policy being invalidated or claims being reduced. Most policies require you to inform your insurer of structural changes, and your premium may increase to reflect the higher rebuild cost, but this ensures you are adequately covered.

10. Prepare Your Home and Gather Evidence for Potential Claims

Once you have reviewed your cover, take practical steps to prepare your property and document your belongings in case you need to make a claim.

  • Photograph or video your home’s interior and exterior, showing the condition of the roof, gutters, windows and contents
  • Keep receipts for valuable items
  • Clear gutters and drains to reduce flood risk
  • Secure outdoor furniture, trampolines and garden equipment that could cause damage in high winds
  • Know how to turn off your water and electricity in an emergency

If a storm is forecast, check the Met Office warnings and follow any advice from your local authority or emergency services.

Common Mistakes When Reviewing Home Insurance for Storm Season

Assuming all storm and flood damage is automatically covered. Always read the policy wording; cover varies significantly by insurer and policy type, particularly for flood risk in certain postcodes.

Underestimating the rebuild cost or contents value. Basing your sum insured on market value or a quick guess can leave you underinsured and facing reduced payouts under the average clause.

Ignoring exclusions for unoccupied properties. If you leave your property empty for an extended period (for example, a second home or a property between tenancies), standard policies may not cover storm damage during that time.

Failing to update your insurer after home improvements. Extensions, loft conversions and other structural changes increase your rebuild cost, and not informing your insurer can invalidate your cover.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does buildings insurance cover storm damage to my roof?
Yes, most buildings insurance policies cover storm damage to the roof, provided the storm meets the policy definition (usually wind speeds above 55 mph or damage from heavy rain or hail) and the damage was not caused by poor maintenance or wear and tear.

Is flood cover included in standard home insurance?
Flood cover is often included in standard buildings and contents policies, but properties in high-risk flood areas may face higher excesses, exclusions or the requirement to use the Flood Re scheme. Check your policy wording and speak to your insurer if you are in a flood-risk postcode.

What is the Flood Re scheme?
Flood Re is a government-backed reinsurance scheme that helps homeowners in flood-risk areas access affordable flood insurance. Insurers can pass the flood risk portion of your policy to Flood Re, which caps the flood premium based on your council tax band. Ask your insurer whether your policy uses Flood Re.

Will my insurer pay out if I did not maintain my property?
No. Damage caused by lack of maintenance (for example, a roof leak from tiles you failed to replace, or flooding due to blocked gutters you did not clear) is excluded from most policies. Insurers expect you to keep your property in good repair.

How do I prove the value of my contents after a claim?
Keep receipts for valuable items, take photographs or videos of your belongings, and make a detailed inventory with estimated replacement costs. Many insurers offer home inventory apps or templates to help you document your contents.

Can I claim for damage to my garden and outbuildings?
Some buildings insurance policies cover outbuildings (sheds, garages, greenhouses) and garden features (walls, fences, gates) for storm damage, but cover limits and exclusions vary. Check your policy wording, as some insurers apply lower limits or exclude boundary structures.

Conclusion

Reviewing your buildings and contents insurance before severe weather season ensures you have the protection you need when storms and flooding strike. Check your cover includes storm and flood damage, confirm your sums insured reflect current rebuild costs and contents values, understand your excesses and exclusions, and update your insurer if you have made home improvements.

Adequate home insurance, combined with practical storm preparation, protects your property and your finances. If you are uncertain about any aspect of your cover, contact your insurer or speak to an FCA-authorised insurance adviser who can review your policy and recommend any additional protection you may need.

Financial Disclaimer

This article provides general information about home insurance and storm preparation for educational purposes only. It is not regulated financial advice, and we are not authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) to provide personalised insurance recommendations. Insurance products, cover terms, exclusions and premiums vary by insurer, policy type and individual circumstances. Before purchasing, renewing or changing your home insurance, read the policy wording and key facts document carefully, and consider speaking to an FCA-authorised insurance adviser or broker who can assess your personal situation and recommend suitable cover. Information is current as of June 2026; verify all details with your insurer or an FCA-authorised adviser before making any decisions.