Advice if home in france is damaged in storm - and what about cars?

WE LOOK AT WHAT DAMAGE YOU CAN CLAIM FOR AND HOW LONG YOU HAVE TO MAKE A CLAIM Thousands of homeowners have already contacted their insurers to report damage to their property following this

week’s powerful Storm Ciarán. We look at what you can do if your home or your car was damaged and how long you have to claim. Powerful storms are relatively commonplace in France but Storm

Ciarán struck with particular violence on November 2, with winds of up to 156km/h reported in Brest. The storm resulted in two deaths in France and extensive damage, with over 500,000 homes

still without electricity. READ MORE: WARNING TO STAY HOME AS RED STORM ALERTS RAISED IN FRANCE As the storm began to subside, thousands of homeowners contacted their insurer to report

property damage. French mutual insurance company Macif says it received 10,000 phone calls resulting in 6,500 claims within the first day. Estimates of the damage vary, with insurance

expertise company Saretec saying that the storm caused €375m of damage, and Risk Weather Tech placing the total between €270m and €380m, excluding damage to crops and forests. WHAT DAMAGE

CAN YOU CLAIM TO INSURERS? Storm Ciarán’s violent winds caused much of the damage, ripping off roof tiles and slates and toppling trees. Home insurance policies all include a _garantie

tempête_, covering storms and damage from high winds, which are considered anything above 100km/h. The record-breaking winds of storm Ciarán certainly qualify for this. READ MORE: SEE:

DRAMATIC SCENES OF STORM CIARAN BATTERING NORTH-WEST FRANCE The _garantie tempête_ applies to damage directly caused by strong winds, including damage to roofs and any ensuing water leaks.

It also covers damage caused by falling trees. However, it only applies to damage that occurs in the first 48 hours after the storm hits. If, for example, a tree is damaged and falls on a

house after this period, the damage is not covered by the _garantie tempête_. Broken windows are covered by policies that include _bris de glace_. Flood damage is more problematic. If a home

is flooded, even during a storm, this is not covered by the _garantie tempête_. Instead, homeowners must wait until the local prefect has declared a _catastrophe naturelle_, or natural

disaster, before their claim can be addressed as such by the insurer. For this, they must have assurance _catastrophe naturelle_, which is included in all multi-risk home insurance policies

(_assurance multirisques habitation_). READ MORE: FRANCE’S ‘CATASTROPHE NATURELLE’ INSURANCE SYSTEM: HOW TO CLAIM Damage to cars, such as dents and broken windscreens is covered by a _tout

risque_ (comprehensive) car insurance. If you only have a basic third party, or _tiers_, car insurance policy, you will not be covered. READ MORE: SIX TIPS TO REDUCE THE COST OF YOUR CAR

INSURANCE IN FRANCE HOW LONG DO I HAVE TO CONTACT MY INSURER ABOUT PROPERTY DAMAGE? In most cases you must declare damage to your property within five days of observing it. This means that

people who own second homes and were not present during the storm can contact their insurer once they have visited the home and observed the damage. However, due to the extensive damage

caused by Storm Ciarán, the federation of French insurers, France Assureurs, says people are to be given longer. "Due to the exceptional circumstances, and in order to provide better

assistance to people who have suffered damaged property, insurers are to extend the delay up to December 1, 2023, or 30 days after the storm,” the federation announced in a press release. In

cases where a commune declares a _catastrophe naturelle_ for flooding, people have ten days to inform their insurer of damage. Insurers in the Covea group, which includes MAAF, MMA and GMF,

have set up a crisis unit to address the high number of claims in order to offer immediate indemnities to affected people. Similarly, Axa says it will make immediate payments of €1,500 to

affected people, with or without individual appraisals. READ MORE STORMS IN FRANCE: INSURERS ADVISE ACTION TO LIMIT DAMAGE TO HOME VIDEO: TORNADO UPROOTS TREES IN SMALL TOWN IN SOUTHERN

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