Storms can be extremely destructive. The high winds can rip off roof tiles, letting in water which can cause damp, mould and even electrical fires. Accompanying heavy rainfall can cause flooding, ruining carpets and furniture and even causing structural damage.

Contact your insurer

If your home is damaged by a storm, contact your insurer as soon as possible. Some insurers have a 24-hour home emergency helpline that you can call for advice.

Greenbee's Home Insurance and Specialist Home Insurance both have a 24 hour Home Emergency helpline, in addition to providing up to £1,500 for labour and parts. The telephone numbers are:

Greenbee Home Insurance: 0845 603 1274
Greenbee Specialist Home Insurance: 0845 677 8897

There are two important areas you will need to take care of if your home is damaged by a storm.

• Damage: check with your insurer what you need to do to make a claim. This may include photographing damage and keeping receipts for replacement items. More severe damage may need to be assessed by a loss adjuster before you get repairs done. Be safe and don't attempt to check structural damage yourself - your insurer will arrange for a professional to do it.
• Accommodation: if your home has been badly damaged in a storm, you may need to find temporary accommodation. Many home insurance policies provide cover for alternative accommodation, the amount of cover will depend on why your home is uninhabitable. Damage to contents tends to be able to be repaired more quickly than structural damage to the building. As such more cover is often provided if damage to the buildings means you and your family need other accommodation.

Greenbee Home Insurance covers the cost of alternative accommodation or rent for you, your family and your pets up to £10,000 if you can't remain at home due to damage to contents. We also provide up to £50,000 if your home can't be lived in due to damage to the building. Greenbee Specialist Home Insurance covers up to 20% of the total contents sum insured for alternative accommodation and rent, and the total cost for up to three years if damage to the building has made your home uninhabitable.

There are several things that'll need to be done to get your home back to normal after storm damage.

• Structural damage assessment and repairs: the full extent of any structural damage will need to be assessed professionally.
• Garden damage: high winds can cause trees and fences to become unstable, so check for any damage.
• Cleaning: if your home has been flooded you'll need to clean away debris and silt.
• Checking utilities: check that gas, water and electricity supplies are safe.
• Decontaminating and drying out: any flooding will mean that your home will probably need professional decontaminating and drying out. This can take several months.
• Stripping out: any furniture and fixtures damaged by water will need to be stripped out and damaged plaster removed.

Maintain your roof

Try to have the condition of your roof checked regularly, and arrange repairs as soon as possible. Cleaning out gutters and drains can help prevent damage from overflowing rainwater.

Preparation for flooding

If your area is prone to flooding and is likely to be hit by a storm, put sandbags outside external doors, and turn off the mains water. Move electrical equipment and furniture to a higher floor, if possible.

Secure or remove garden furniture and other free-standing equipment such as climbing frames and swings. Cut back any loose or low-hanging tree branches to help to keep wind damage to a minimum.

Greenbee's Home Insurance offers unlimited cover for your home and the things in it, as well as services designed to help you in a home emergency and up to £1,000 cover for garden furniture.

Greenbee Specialist Home Insurance has no limits on the amount of contents and buildings you can insure. Like Greenbee Home Insurance, a 24 hour Home Emergency service with up to £1,500 cover for labour and parts and up to £10,000 cover for outdoor items.

Find more about our Home Insurance cover options now.

>  See the Met Office's advice on protecting your home in a gale