If there is storm damage to your car, the question arises as to whether and which insurance will cover the damage.
Insurance claim: storm damage to car
A car is covered by various types of insurance against numerous possible risks and damages. Which one is right depends on the type and cause of the damage.
- Liability insurance: No benefits for storm damage.
- Partial insurance: Flying objects damage parked and moving cars. They are pushed off the road by the strong storm.
- Fully comprehensive insurance: You cause an accident due to a storm or gusts of wind. You drive into a tree that is already lying on the road. The vehicle cover does not apply if the insurance company can prove gross negligence (e.g. driving or parking despite a strong warning or driving ban).
- Home contents and building insurance: No benefits, only car insurance covers storm damage.
- Important NOTE: All insurance companies only pay out when the storm has been reported as a storm by the weather service. at least wind force 8 must have been available for the partial insurance, the fully comprehensive insurance may also pay less.
Report damage promptly
If your car or motorcycle has been damaged by a storm, it is important that you report the storm damage to your car insurance company as soon as possible.
- Frist: Most insurance companies have a one-week deadline. Check your insurance policy for details.
- If you wait too long to report the damage, you risk the insurance company refusing to settle the claim.
- Contact: You can report the storm damage over the phone. Please have your license plate number, insurance number and damage details ready.
- Some insurance companies have set up an online portal for reporting claims. This allows you to fill out the form from your smartphone or tablet and attach evidence (photos, videos) as a file.
- You can also submit the notification in writing by registered mail with return receipt.
Information for insurance in the event of storm damage to cars and motorcycles
To ensure that the insurance company can process the storm damage quickly and correctly, you should provide them with comprehensive documentation. If there is no predefined online form, pay attention to the following points:
- Date, exact time of discovery of the damage, exact location
- Supplemented by information from the weather office
- Photos of the car and the surroundings
- Detailed photos of the individual damages
- possible naming of witnesses
- Tipp: Talk to your insurance company first! During the conversation, you will be told whether you are allowed to have the car repaired and if so, how much you will be entitled to.
- A cost estimate is useful in the case of major damage. Submit this to your car insurance company.
- The insurance company has the right to have the vehicle inspected by an expert.
- If you have had the car insured through the dealer through the brand, drive straight to the workshop. Here the workshop will take care of everything itself and also deal with the insurance itself.
- A notice: Only damage to the car is insured. Rental cars, train tickets or hotels are not covered, unless you have an insurance package with additional services.