Today’s Storm Rachel is powerful and will cause damage on farms to sheds, trees, farmhouses and other structures. Here is some advice on what action to take if you are affected:
Have contact numbers for emergency services to hand – gardai, fire service, electricity and local authority. They need to be notified in relation to wires or trees blown down on public roads, etc.Keep up to date with forecasts to see when peak wind speeds will affect your location. That is when there is greatest danger of wind damage to buildings and trees. If you suffer damage notify your insurance provider quickly. Remember that if insurance companies find themselves dealing with a large number of claims then processing your case could take a while. But once you have notified a provider of damage you are in the system. Where structural damage has been done to a building or shed, it may be possible to secure it from further damage. Be mindful of safety if doing so yourself. Do not take unnecessary risk of injury, etc. If there is a risk of further damage, ask your insurance provider if you can have a temporary repair carried out. If you pay someone to make a temporary repair then keep the invoice. If you have to do preventative work or make temporary repairs then take photos of the damage beforehand and keep them. The claims handler will need to see sensible evidence of the damage done. Keep the damaged materials, eg. broken slates or twisted roof cladding. That will make the whole process quicker for everyone and will avoid disagreement on what was damaged. Generally, it makes sense to take photos of damage and to make written notes of when damage happened, who was contacted, etc. This is easier than trying to remember in a few days time. Keep all quotations and invoices for submitting to the loss adjuster or claims handler.