Hail damage to your car, a broken trampoline, a flooded cellar: storms and natural catastrophes can cause all kinds of chaos. Often, insured people are at a loss after such incidents. For many, it’s not clear which kinds of storm damage can and must be reported to which insurer. We are here to shed some light on the subject.
Storm damage is classified as damage caused by natural events. Damage caused by natural events refers to instances in which damage is caused by unpredictable forces of nature. Different insurance policies are responsible depending on the item affected. In other words, the insurance policy responsible for the damage hinges on what has been broken. In Switzerland, damage caused by:
- Storms
- Hail
- Avalanches and snow pressure
- Rockslides and falling stones
- Landslides
- Flooding and inundation
is included in damage caused by natural hazards.
Buildings insurance
If a building is damaged, buildings insurance comes into effect. This is the case, for example, if the house has been damaged by a lightning strike, or if a violent gust of wind has swept tiles off the roof. In most cantons, the cantonal building insurance covers damage caused by natural hazards, which is included in the fire insurance for buildings.
Motor vehicle insurance
If, however, motor vehicles are damaged by hail, the claim will be covered by the partial accidental damage cover of the private motor vehicle insurance or motor fleet insurance.
Household contents insurance
Damaged furniture is covered by household contents insurance. This includes, for example, broken garden furniture after a storm or damage to furnishings after a flood.
