Over 60,000 homes and businesses were affected by last week’s Storm Darwin. What’s left in the aftermath, apart from fallen trees and roofless farm buildings, is a plethora of insurance claims. With the possibility of more storms on the horizon, Martin Carway, managing director of ProAdjust, whose primary business is the assessment of claims, advises farmers and property owners on what to do in the days and weeks after bad weather hits your home.

1. Safety first

“It may sound clichéd, but safety is essential. This message can get lost as people scramble to save the property they’ve worked hard to build and pay for. Essentially, when it comes to farm buildings, make sure animals are protected and out of harm’s way.

“Many may attempt to tackle the clean-up themselves, but don’t take any risks with machines. I’ve been in this industry 30 years and the scenes on farms over the last few days have been some of the worst I’ve seen. Concrete walls have been moved, steel frames have been bent, so attempting to move things yourself can prove to be very dangerous.”

2. Tackle what you can

“That’s not to say that you shouldn’t tackle what you can. Assess the situation and start the clean up, where it is safe. People assume that you shouldn’t touch anything until the insurance company sees the damage but fixing a small leak now could mean avoiding a much larger leak in the future. So take photographs, employ your common sense and do what you can to mitigate loss. The guys on the ground have enough knowledge to know the destruction that has been done by this storm.”

3. Get one competitive quotation

“A rumour that is making the rounds is that you need at least two or three quotations to get the job fixed. This isn’t true. You need one realistic, competitive quote. Many of those working with farm business repairs aren’t fly-by-night operators, they’ve been around a long time and rates will be pretty standard. Of course, there will be some opportunistic pricing from some trying to earn an extra buck from the destruction but we’re not seeing too much of that. Generally rates are pretty standard and insurance companies aren’t there to catch you out.”

4. Don’t be afraid to make a claim

“Sometimes, if the damage is limited, it’s not worth making a claim, especially if you have a high excess and the damage is less than €500. If you do have to make a claim, though, the likelihood is that your premium will not be affected in the future. It’s been a long time since we’ve seen weather like the last few weeks, and it would be surprising to see premiums rise. “

5. Check on unoccupied houses

“Many people will find that their insurance companies will respond fairly and reasonably over the next few weeks. The small print in your contract is not there to catch you out. However, there is a clause that people may not be aware of, relating to unoccupied properties. If a property is unoccupied for an extended period of time (usually a month or more), then cover could be restricted to just fire damage. That’s because if someone is living in a property and a pipe bursts or there is flooding, the situation is usually resolved immediately and damage is limited.

“Leave a house unchecked and flooded for weeks and it’s not just repairs that are needed, the whole house could be destroyed. So, if you’re responsible for unoccupied accommodation, be sure to check on it regularly, especially when the weather is bad. After making initial contact with your insurance company, you should hear back from them within three days. If you’re unhappy with the service, complain in writing to management. If you still have issues with your claim, your next port of call is the Ombudsman, although such cases are rare.”