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The storm in La Chaux-de-Fonds NE affected large areas of forest, devastated parks and schoolyards, and damaged approximately 4,000 to 5,000 buildings. Authorities estimate the damage done to be between 70 and 90 million francs.
Every year, thousands of Swiss are affected by varying degrees of storm damage. Who pays when the storm sweeps the front yard or rips the tiles off the roof? Blick provides the most important answers.
Who pays if the roof blows?
In most cantons, building insurance covers storm damage to the home. This is mandatory in 22 of the 26 cantons, including Neuchatel. However, Philipp Götschmann (47), head of property damage at Helvetia Insurance, warns to take a closer look: Because the scope of services or the definition of when actually speaking of a storm is different. “There’s a patchwork quilt all over Switzerland that doesn’t make it easy for customers,” says Götschmann.
Anyone who learns about the benefits can avoid unpleasant surprises and take out additional insurance for uncovered situations. Building insurance is optional in the cantons of Geneva, Ticino, Appenzell Innerrhoden and Valais.
Destroyed furniture and collapsed garden shed
Garden furniture smashed, the pool table in the basement flooded: If furniture is damaged by a storm, household goods insurance comes into play. It doesn’t matter if the furniture is inside or outside. This is optional in most cantons. Be careful if you don’t want to lose your expensive designer furniture in a storm.
Property insurance also does not cover damage to a fence, garden shed or pool cover. For this you need additional insurance. In the case of cars, partial car insurance applies. And in the extremely rare cases of storm damage – such as when an unsecured flower pot causes damage – personal liability insurance comes into play.
This is how you protect your belongings and yourself
Insurance expert Götschmann advises: “Pretend you don’t have insurance.” Weather-related damage events cannot in principle be avoided. But measures can be taken to limit the damage. For example, in case of storm warnings, bring furniture in from outside. Unplug electronic devices if there is a risk of lightning. If possible, put the car in the garage. Keep drains in the balcony, basement or garden clean to prevent flooding. “In a hailstorm, the shutters should stay open,” says Götschmann.
Because in property insurance there is always a statutory exemption to pay for such essential damages. The minimum exemption is determined by the type of insurance. This is 500 francs for household goods, 10 per cent of damage to residences, a minimum of 1,000 and a maximum of 10,000 francs.
What to do in case of damage
After the storm has passed, you should get an idea of the possible damage as soon as possible. “Report the damage to the insurance company immediately – preferably by phone,” advises Allianz Insurance spokesperson Hans-Peter Nehmer. In this way all necessary emergency measures are initiated and initial compensation is paid. The information should be as detailed as possible: time of damage, cause of damage, list of damage, ideally with photos. This can be done electronically.
If all damage is covered by the same insurer, one report is sufficient. For example, if you take out home goods insurance with one insurer and building insurance with another insurance company, several reports are required.
Source :Blick
I’m Tim David and I work as an author for 24 Instant News, covering the Market section. With a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism, my mission is to provide accurate, timely and insightful news coverage that helps our readers stay informed about the latest trends in the market. My writing style is focused on making complex economic topics easy to understand for everyone.
