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Insurer denied payout after claiming roof blown off by storm was ‘wear and tear'
Insurer denied payout after claiming roof blown off by storm was ‘wear and tear'

Telegraph

time5 days ago

  • Climate
  • Telegraph

Insurer denied payout after claiming roof blown off by storm was ‘wear and tear'

An insurer refused a couple's storm damage payout after saying their roof blew off due to 'wear and tear'. The homeowners – known only as Mr and Mrs M – made a claim on their building insurance after their flat roof was torn off 'in one piece', during powerful winds in December 2023. But Royal & Sun Alliance (RSA) rejected the claim, saying the damage was 'gradual' and 'due to wear and tear', not storm conditions. Mr and Mrs M complained to the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS), which investigated and found in their favour. The online FOS ruling said: 'RSA relied on the aerial photo of the roof, photos of the debris and Mr and Mrs M saying that the roof had never been repaired to arrive at its decision.' Distress caused However, the FOS upheld the complaint due to evidence from a surveyor and a roofer that stated the roof had been in 'fair' condition before the storm and that it had been ripped off 'by an extraordinarily powerful wind'. The FOS ordered RSA to pay the claim plus 8pc interest. It also instructed the firm to fork out £1,000 for the distress caused. Mr and Mrs M had been forced to live 'without a permanent roof' for several months while suffering from serious health conditions. A spokesman for RSA Insurance said: 'Assessing any damage following a storm is never simple or clear-cut. In this particular case, our assessment found some, but not all, of the damage to the roof was due to gradual deterioration over a long period of time and a natural breakdown of materials. This was a decision the Ombudsman initially agreed with. 'The Ombudsman independently reviewed both parties' submissions and provided their own assessment. After further consideration, it was concluded that the claim should be paid in full. We respect the decision, and we are currently working with the customer to finalise a resolution.' A growing problem A growing number of homeowners are claiming on their insurance as UK storms become more severe and more frequent due to climate change. Storm Éowyn, which hit the UK in January 2025, was the strongest wind storm in over a decade, according to the Met Office. Meanwhile, the year 2023-24 brought the most named storms since records began in 2015-16. Last year, insurers paid out a record-breaking £585m for weather-related damage to properties and possessions, according to data from the Association of British Insurers (ABI). But data suggests that rows over payouts are increasingly common.

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