Sudden damage and slow decay
Policies are written around events. A tree falls on the roof, a gale lifts the covering, a pipe bursts and floods the ceiling. These are sudden, and a policy that covers storm or accidental damage may respond to them.
A flat roof that leaks because the felt is 20 years old, the laps have opened and the deck has rotted is a different story. Among the common exclusions the Financial Ombudsman Service lists are gradual damage, plus wear and tear. An insurer may argue that a failing membrane is maintenance, not a claim.
The cause is the whole question, and it is rarely obvious from the ceiling. A stain might come from a storm-torn corner, a blocked outlet or an old covering giving up. The insurer, and sometimes a surveyor they appoint, will want to know which. A short report from a roofer on what is wrong and why is worth keeping with the claim.
Which? reported that only 32% of storm-related claims made in 2024 resulted in a payout. That is a reason to read the policy before counting on the money, not a forecast for your claim.
Storm damage against an old membrane
A policy may cover "storm", and the definition matters. For the Financial Ombudsman a storm normally means violent wind, often with rain, hail or snow, although by its reckoning a downpour or a snowfall, with no strong wind, may still qualify. It looks at the Beaufort Scale, and some insurers set a wind force below which they will not call it a storm. So the test is your policy's own storm definition, not a figure from a website.
| Cause | Often seen as |
|---|---|
| Covering torn or lifted in a gale | Possible storm damage |
| Tree or debris impact | Possible accidental or storm damage |
| Laps opened, felt worn out | Wear and tear |
| Long-term damp, rotted deck | Gradual damage |
Those are the usual ways the wording is read, not rules, and the policy has the final word. An old roof can still have a genuine storm claim if the storm did the damage, but the insurer will look at what condition the roof was in beforehand, so earlier photos and any inspection record help. Pictures taken before the damage, even with the roof only in the background, can show its condition.
Tell the insurer first, then make safe
The order matters. Contact your insurer before any repair, because some policies require it, and ask what they need from you. The Institution of Structural Engineers advises making the property safe and keeping evidence, and stresses how much photographs count as visual proof of the damage.
A sensible sequence looks like this:
- Phone the insurer and report the leak, noting the date and who you spoke to.
- Limit further damage where you safely can, with buckets, moved furniture or a temporary cover.
- Photograph the roof from the ground, the ceiling stains and anything damaged inside.
- Keep every receipt for temporary work and materials.
- Keep any removed material, if you can, until the insurer says otherwise.
A temporary make-safe protects the home while the claim is decided. It is not the same as the permanent repair, and what the insurer pays for is settled between you and the insurer. We can look at the roof, say what we find and send photos of the damage with a written price, but the claim itself stays with you and your insurer. Ask the insurer in advance whether it wants its own assessor to see the damage before any work starts.
If the claim is refused
A refusal is not always final. Read the reason and compare it with your policy wording. If you think the cause was sudden and the insurer has called it wear and tear, a roofer's written account of what was found can support your case.
The first step is the insurer's own complaints process. If that does not settle it, the Financial Ombudsman Service looks at complaints about insurers, and its helpline is 0800 023 4567. Its website explains storm damage claims in plain terms.
Do not wait for the outcome before protecting the home. Water left to run into a ceiling does further damage, and an insurer may expect you to limit the loss. If the roof needs more than a patch and the claim is uncertain, repair or replace a flat roof helps you weigh the choices, and signs a flat roof is failing shows what age looks like.
For the whole service, see flat roofing. Keep a running file of every letter and email in the claim, with the claim reference noted on each, because a dispute turns on what was said and when. A payout is never certain, whatever the roof looks like.
