Insurance warning issued as Storm Agnes set to batter UK with strong winds

Rural insurer NFU Mutual has urged the insurance industry and consumers to be prepared ahead of Storm Agnes hitting the UK on Wednesday (27 September 2023).

The Met Office warned earlier this week (25 September 2023) that there was a “high likelihood” of the storm bringing gusts around 50-60mph for some inland areas, while exposed coastal areas could see gusts of 65-75mph.

As a result, a yellow weather warning for wind has been issued for a large area of the UK.

And the Met Office said that the wind alert highlighted the chance of some damage to buildings.

NFU Mutual warned that gusts of 75mph could be strong enough to damage roofs or topple weak walls, while loose branches and furniture could be thrown around.

In turn, it warned the industry that the storm could bring an increase in claims.

To help mitigate this, the insurer urged home and business owners to make sure their properties were storm resilient.

‘Perfect time’

Jon Bird, property claims manager at NFU Mutual, said: “NFU Mutual has responded to this first storm of the season by placing its network of agency offices across the UK on alert and preparing call handlers and loss adjusters for an increase in claims.

“While we stand ready to assist customers who suffer damage in Storm Agnes, we also urge home and business owners to check now whether their property is storm resilient.”

Storm Agnes is the first named storm of the storm naming season, which runs from September 2023 to August 2024.

Bird said that now was the “perfect time” for consumers to protect their property or business against storms.

“As the leading rural insurer, we know that isolated properties, along with those on the coast, are most at risk from windstorms like Storm Agnes. Owners of such properties should pay particular attention to storm resilience measures.”