Storm debt threat

Abbey states that £324 million of damages to homes is likely to occur this year, at an average of £522 per claim, prompting calls to ensure that Britons check their homes for anything that could exacerbate damage in bad weather.

Prasad Shastri, Head of Insurance Marketing for Abbey said: “In the last week we have seen storm and tornado weather across mainland Britain.

“Already we have seen a significant increase in storm related claims within the last month and this is expected to continue into 2007. Worryingly many people do not protect their homes properly despite the severe costs that storm damage can cause.”

He advised homeowners not just to physically prepare their property, through checking for loose tiles or gutters or dangerous tree branches, but also consider insurance as a form of debt management.

Particularly for those in high-risk areas, such as places where flooding occurs, Mr Shastri stated that paying for insurance could mean not having to get into debt to cover any repairs.