How to protect your home from storm damage - act now!

How to protect your home from storm damage - act now!

Weather events such as storm, rain and snow are increasingly causing serious damage to buildings and vehicles in Germany. According to Südkurier regulated in 2024 non-weather damage of around 5.5 billion euros. The federal states of Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg are particularly affected, where floods and natural events generate enormous financial pressure. In 2024, insured damage caused by flood and other natural events even went to 5.7 billion euros, which represents a drastic increase compared to previous years.

The most common causes of these extreme weather conditions lie in climate change, which is held responsible for increasing temperatures and unpredictable rainfall. Heavy rain and floods caused damage of around 2.6 billion euros nationwide - this is around one billion euros above the long -term average. The year 2023 recorded similar damage sums with around one billion euros, while in 2024 there were no serious damage caused by winter and autumn storms, which steer the focus on other weather phenomena.

protective measures and insurance

In order to prepare themselves against the financial consequences of such storm damage, corresponding insurance companies are essential. The water and wind damage on roofs and windows are typically covered by residential building insurance, while damage to the household items are ensured by household insurance. According to Consumer headquarters Adjustment, household and comprehensive insurance for storm damage from wind strength 8 (from 62 km/h). In the event of a non -determined wind force, however, damage to damage applies if there are comparable damage in the area.

For insured persons there is a clear eight-point plan that should be followed in an emergency. First of all, it is important to leave the house in strong building damage and get to safety. This is followed by an immediate message to the insurer in order to minimize consequential damage. Other steps include documenting the damage and obtaining the insurer's consent before cleaning up or repairing. A detailed list of all damaged items, including the purchase date and price, must be submitted within two weeks to make claims.

FAZIT

The problem of extreme weather events not only affects the homeowners in Germany, but also calls for a comprehensive adaptation strategy to the climatic changes on the part of the insurers. As the managing director of the insurer, Jörg Asmussen, emphasizes, is a sustainable adaptation to climate intensity and the development of a comprehensive concept against natural hazards of the greatest urgency. This is particularly true, since large parts of the damage caused by floods are not insured in the affected regions, which further increases the financial burdens for the injured party. Awareness of risks and timely protection are becoming increasingly important in order to avoid impending financial bottlenecks.

in 2024, for example, in Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg, it was estimated that only about half of the damage was insured out of over four billion euros, which illustrates the challenge in front of which many consumers face in the face of climate change.