With the recent spate of severe weather in Northern Ireland, it has never been more important to protect your home against storm damage with home insurance. Northern Ireland has been hit hard by recent storms this winter, with Storm Eowyn causing widespread damage across homes and properties. As we continue to face more unpredictable weather patterns throughout the winter, it’s crucial to protect your home against storm damage, and the best way to do this is through comprehensive home insurance.
According to the Insurance Business Magazine, 2023/2024 period was marked by extreme weather with 12 reported storms recorded. This is the highest number of storms recorded since the naming system began back in 2015, and it looks like 2025 is continuing in the same unprecedented stormy manner.
What Can Home Insurance Protect Against?
Home insurance can protect against many weather related accidents or damage. Common problems caused by storms include:
- Hail damage: Hard-hitting hailstones can shatter windows, and cause other damage to your home’s exterior.
- Roof damage: Strong winds can lift or tear off roof shingles, tiles, or even entire sections of roofing. Additionally, the weight of snow and ice can cause roofs to collapse or develop cracks.
- Wind damage: Trees and branches are often toppled by high winds, leading to damage to roofs, windows, and other parts of the home. Dislodged shingles or bricks can expose homes to further damage.
- Water damage: Heavy rain combined with strong winds can result in water infiltration into homes, leading to dampness, mould growth, and structural damage.
- Sewer back-up: Storms can overwhelm drainage systems, causing raw sewage to back up into homes, leading to extensive damage and health risks.
- Freezing pipes: Sub-zero temperatures can freeze and burst pipes, leading to costly repairs and water damage.
- Ice dams forming on the roof: Ice dams block the flow of melted water, causing it to back up and seep into the house through the roof.
- Flooding: Heavy rainfall, or a sudden thaw can overwhelm drainage systems and lead to significant flooding.
- These are just a few examples of the type of damage that homeowners can face during a storm like Storm Eowyn. The financial cost of repairs can be hefty, causing financial pressures at an already stressful time, making it more important than ever to ensure that you protect your home against storm damage.
Protect Your Personal Belongings With Contents Insurance
During a severe storm, it’s not just your home that’s at risk – it’s also your personal belongings. Whether it’s furniture, electronics, jewellery or sentimental items – contents insurance can cover the replacement or repair costs for any possessions that are damaged or destroyed by the storm. This coverage can be a lifesaver, ensuring that you won’t have to cover the costs of replacing valuable possessions.
Storms like Storm Eowyn highlight the critical importance of obtaining home and contents insurance to protect your property. With extensive damage being caused to homes across Northern Ireland, having a comprehensive home and contents insurance policy will help to put your mind at ease, that your home will be protected against storms and that with the right coverage, you can ensure you’re not left to bear the financial burden of repairs alone.
While we can’t predict when the next storm will hit, we can prepare for it. Storm Eowyn is just one example of how unpredictable weather can cause devastating damage to homes. As we face more extreme weather conditions, now is the time to protect your home against storm damage. Home insurance is vital to safeguard your property and it’s contents, ensuring that you can recover from any storm-related disasters without facing crippling costs of repairs.
It is essential to discuss your home insurance needs with expert insurance brokers, to ensure you get the correct coverage and don’t get caught out by whatever the next storm may bring. Local insurance brokers in Northern Ireland can help you identify your insurance needs, unique to your circumstances and area.
