Home insurance firm Admiral has emailed customers with a warning that certain types of storm damage are not covered by their policies. The message comes as Storm Austen brings disruption across the UK, including power cuts and travel delays.
The email, sent during last year's storms, said: "It looks like there's a weather warning in your area for an increased chance of wind and rain storms. Please be aware damage to fences and hedges aren't covered under your Admiral policy, so before the storm begins, secure any loose gates or fence posts."
What Admiral Covers
Admiral's home insurance policy information states that under storm conditions, the policy covers wind damage, water damage, and damage caused by snow or hail. During cold weather, customers are also covered for frozen pipes inside the home.
However, the policy does not cover gates, fences, or hedges, damage caused by wear and tear, or unfinished alterations and extensions.
AXA's Similar Policy
AXA mirrors this approach, stating in its home insurance information: "Please note, AXA home insurance policies don't cover damage to fences following a storm or flooding." The company also expects customers to take all reasonable precautions to avoid injury, loss, or damage, and to safeguard all insured property.
Under its "what your policy does not cover" section, AXA lists loss or damage to boundary and garden walls, gates, hedges, fences, paths, drives, artificial lawns, patios, decking, terraces, tennis hard courts, and swimming pools, unless the home has been damaged at the same time by the same cause.
Met Office Warning
The Met Office issued an amber weather warning for Friday, stating: "Storm Austen likely to bring some disruption and possible damaging winds on Friday morning." It advised people to stay indoors as much as possible and to secure loose items outside homes, including bins, garden furniture, trampolines, tents, sheds, and fences.
