A man whose house was wrecked by Storm Darragh has been refused a pay out after insurers told him it was not a storm because the wind speeds were under 55mph.
Dennis Iliffe was informed the winds that battered his property in Kidderminster, Worcestershire, were 2mph too slow for his insurance provider Ageas to pay up.
This is because the Association of British Insurers defines a storm as ‘a period of violent weather defined as wind speeds with gusts of at least 48 knots (55mph)’.
An ‘absolutely astounded’ Mr Iliffe was therefore left £500 out of pocket after getting his aerial replaced and chimney repaired following the storm last weekend.
He told BBC News of his insurance firm: ‘They didn’t want to know. They said the gust was only 53mph and it has to be 55mph to be declared a storm.
Mr Iliffe added that his neighbours suffered damaged brickwork and roof tiles blown off – while one with the windows blown out of his greenhouse.
He has now been forced to compare the damage to an ‘act of God’ which insurers traditionally do not cover, adding: ‘You pay insurance, you think you’re covered.
‘But when you come to make a claim, they don’t want to pay. If you have a fire, does the fire have to be a certain temperature? It beggars belief.’
A fallen tree in Worcester, 15 miles from Kidderminster, during Storm Darragh on Saturday
The Met Office imposed a series of weather warnings for Storm Darragh last weekend
Ahead of the storm, the Association of British Insurers (ABI) had issued a press release saying it was ‘reassuring homeowners and businesses that their insurers will be ready to help and support their customers’.
It added: ‘Damage caused by storms and flooding is covered by most standard home insurance and commercial business policies, and comprehensive motor insurance.’
The ABI had also issued advice to households in England to keep a close eye on weather warnings and follow advice from the Met Office and Environment Agency.
It also urged people to ‘store items left in gardens that can easily be blown away and cause damage, like ladders, inside, or ensure they are secure’.
Another tip was to ‘have contact details of your home insurer to hand, along with other emergency contact numbers for your utility providers and the local authority’.
It also said: ‘Your insurance will still be valid if you’re driving during a red weather alert, but we advise you pay close attention to local authority and policy warnings.’
But the ABI told MailOnline today that it did not comment on individual cases.
Ageas has been asked to comment.
The fourth named storm of the season brought strong gusts to many parts of the UK over the weekend, with millions warned to stay indoors in Wales and South West England.
Two men were killed by falling trees hitting their vehicles on Saturday, while the Energy Networks Association said 259,000 customers across England, Scotland and Wales were without power as of Saturday evening.
The highest wind gusts were 96mph, recorded at Berry Head in Devon on Saturday.
West Midlands Fire Service said its crews had attended more than 120 emergency incidents across the region during Saturday and on Sunday morning, with more than 700 weather-related calls handled.
High levels on the River Severn at Bewdley in Worcestershire on Tuesday, near Kidderminster
Worcester Cricket Ground, about 15 miles away from Kidderminster, was flooded on Monday
The Government has since faced calls to review whether current measures adequately support vulnerable residents during extreme weather events.
A ‘risk to life’ alert came into effect at 1am on Saturday and was sent to people within an area covered by the Met Office’s rare red warning for wind in parts of Wales and South West England.
It was the largest use of the Government warning system yet, with the alert urging residents to avoid driving and to ‘stay indoors if you can’.
The Cabinet Office’s emergency alert system sent a message to every compatible mobile phone in the affected areas, containing information about the red warning and guidance on how to stay safe.
Mobile phones made a loud siren-like sound even if they were set on silent, with the sound and vibration lasting for about 10 seconds, although some people claimed they did not receive it.
Are YOUR insurers refusing to pay out? Email: Frankie.Elliott@mailonline.co.uk
