After storm damage: stay safe and keep off the roof, photograph everything, arrange an emergency make-safe repair (insurers expect you to prevent further damage — keep the receipt), then contact your insurer. Buildings insurance generally covers sudden damage caused by a storm, but not gradual wear and tear or poor maintenance. A written roofer’s report with photos greatly strengthens a claim.
Key takeaways
- Safety first — fallen tiles and loose ridge tiles can injure people below.
- Take dated photos before any clean-up or repair.
- You are normally expected to prevent further damage: get a temporary repair and keep receipts.
- Insurers pay for storm damage, not for a roof that was already worn out.
- Regular maintenance records make claims far easier.
What to do straight after a storm
Surrey gets its share of named storms, and exposed spots — the Hog's Back, the North Downs above Guildford and Dorking, the higher ground around Haslemere and Hindhead — take the brunt. If you wake up to tiles on the lawn:
- Keep people away from the area beneath the damage. Loose tiles and ridge pieces can keep falling.
- Look from the ground only. Use binoculars or your phone's zoom. Do not go up.
- Photograph and video everything — roof, debris on the ground, damaged gutters, and any water damage inside. Note the date and time.
- Check the loft for daylight or water if it's safe to do so.
- Arrange an emergency make-safe. Call us on 07860 922109 — 24/7, no call-out fee.
- Contact your insurer and ask what they need from you.
- Keep damaged materials if you can; some insurers ask to see them.
If water is already coming in, follow our step-by-step roof leak guide first.
What home insurance usually covers
Most UK buildings insurance policies cover damage caused by a storm — and many insurers define that in terms of wind speed (gusts of around 55mph or more are a commonly used threshold), torrential rain, or heavy snow. Typical covered events include tiles or slates ripped off by wind, a chimney pot or tree brought down onto the roof, and the resulting water damage inside (usually under buildings and contents cover respectively).
Always check your own policy wording and excess — definitions differ between insurers.
Why storm claims get refused
The most common reason is wear and tear. If the insurer's surveyor concludes the roof was already in poor condition and the storm simply "highlighted" it, the claim may be declined or reduced. Other frequent reasons:
- No evidence that storm conditions occurred at your location on that date.
- Long-standing defects — perished felt, rotten battens, decayed mortar.
- Flat roofs beyond their expected life (some policies exclude older flat roofs altogether).
- Delay in reporting, allowing further damage.
- No photographs or records.
How to give your claim the best chance
- Act quickly and tell your insurer promptly.
- Get the roof made safe and keep the invoice — reasonable emergency costs are often recoverable.
- Provide a professional report with photos that explains what failed and why.
- Show you maintain the roof. Invoices for past gutter clearing, repairs or inspections demonstrate the roof wasn't neglected.
- Get an itemised written quote for the permanent repair.
Storm-proofing: a quick pre-winter checklist
- Have slipped, cracked or loose tiles fixed before autumn.
- Check ridge and hip tiles are firmly bedded.
- Clear gutters, valleys and downpipes of leaves and moss.
- Inspect lead flashings around chimneys and abutments.
- Look at chimney pots, cowls and pointing.
- Cut back overhanging branches.
A short annual inspection costs very little compared with an emergency in January — and it builds the maintenance record insurers like to see. For an idea of repair prices, see our Guildford & Surrey cost guide.
Frequently asked questions
Does home insurance cover storm damage to a roof?
Should I repair storm damage before the insurer has seen it?
Can you provide a report for my insurance claim?
How quickly can you attend storm damage in Guildford?
Written by the Alpha Same Day Roofing team. Checkatrade-approved roofers with over 20 years’ experience repairing and replacing roofs across Guildford, Surrey and London. This guide is general advice — every roof is different, so please book a free inspection for advice specific to your property.
