More french communes declared as 2022 drought natural disaster zones

PEOPLE AFFECTED NOW HAVE ONE MONTH TO DECLARE ANY PROPERTY DAMAGE TO THEIR INSURER A state of natural disaster (_catastrophe naturelle_) has been declared in many more communes across France

as drought conditions intensify following the hot summer. However, the decree in question relates to drought in summer 2022. Declaring this status officially means that residents can claim

on their insurance if drought conditions have caused damage to their property. Shrinkage and expansion of ground due to drought can cause severe cracks in walls and the destabilisation of

building foundations. _Catastrophe naturelle_ damage is always included in home_ multirisques_ insurance policies. People who have affected property now have 30 days maximum to declare the

damage to their insurance company. The deadline is October 26, 2023, as that will mark 30 days since the decree’s publication in the _Journal Officiel._ ANNUAL CHECKS More than 10 million

homes are said to be at risk of drought damage in France, as drought conditions intensify nationwide. Soils with a large proportion of clay are at particular risk. Authorities periodically

test communes to see if they have been affected by previous droughts to be added to the list. The full list of communes concerned by the latest decree can be found AT THIS LINK. An earlier

list of communes - of which there are more than 1,000 - can be found here on the _JOURNAL OFFICIEL_’S WEBSITE (declarations for these are due by October 8). To search for your commune, you

can use your device’s search function (usually activated by pressing the ‘ctrl’ and ‘F’ keys on a computer simultaneously) and then typing in the name of your commune. Make sure however that

your commune falls in Annexe I (those added to the list after being tested) and not Annexe II (those tested but not put on the disaster list). HOW TO CLAIM If your commune is listed, and

you wish to claim for damage, you must do so within 30 days of the publication of the relevant _Journal Officiel_ decree. Depending on your insurer, you can make the claim by email, phone,

or text. However, it is advisable to get proof of your claim being submitted via a lettre recommandée avec accusé de réception (an acknowledgement of receipt sent through the mail). Next,

your insurer will specify what they need from you (usually photos or videos of the damage). In most cases, your compensation should arrive within three months. _Edited October 5, to clarify

relevant decrees_ READ MORE 1,000 ‘DROUGHT DISASTER ZONES’ NAMED IN FRANCE: WHAT TO DO IF AFFECTED MOVES TO IMPROVE COMPENSATION FOR DROUGHT DAMAGE IN HOMES IN FRANCE IS YOUR FRENCH PROPERTY

IN NEWLY DECLARED DROUGHT ‘DISASTER’ ZONES?