Storm warning over home insurance

Over 1.5 million homes in Britain had their roofs damaged as the result of strong winds last year, new figures show.

A study conducted by Halifax Home Insurance found that high winds caused a total of £4.5 billion worth of damage last year.

The average cost of a wind damage incident was £2,800 in 2007, putting a severe dent in the pocket of anyone who did not have adequate home insurance.

It also said that repairing a damaged roof was not the only cost involved in such incidents as missing tiles allowed large volumes of water to leak in to properties .

This caused a further £2.5 million worth of damage in the same period, again increasing the number of home insurance claims, the report found.

Martyn Foulds, senior claims manager at Halifax Home Insurance, said: Halifax Home Insurance recommends homeowners check the condition of their roofs regularly and call in a qualified roofer to carry out any necessary repair work if any tiles are loose or missing.

On Monday Graeme Trudgill of the British Insurance Brokers' Association said that home insurance was absolutely critical for mortgage holders.