After a storm, people come first. Once everyone is safe, these steps help the insurance claim go smoothly.
1. Safety first
Do not climb onto the roof or touch cables or sockets in flooded areas. If there is any danger, call 112. Everything else can wait.
2. Photograph everything before you touch it
Take photos and videos of the damage, outside and inside, from several angles. Also photograph what caused it: the tiles that blew off, the tree that fell, how high the water reached.
3. Stop the damage getting worse
Cover the hole in the roof, lift things out of the water, close what was left open. Do only what is urgent and essential, and keep the receipts. Permanent repairs should wait until you have spoken to the insurer.
4. Do not throw anything away
The loss adjuster needs to see what was damaged. If you really have to throw something away, photograph it well first and keep the purchase receipts, if you have them.
5. Report it quickly
The usual deadline to report a claim is 8 days, counted from the day it happened or the day you found out. If you are our client, talk to us: we help you report it and follow the claim to the end.
6. Gather the documents
Photos, repair quotes and, if you have them, receipts for what was damaged. The more complete the file, the faster it moves.
What insurance usually covers
If your policy includes storm and flood cover, these are usually covered:
- Damage from strong wind: tiles ripped off, broken chimneys, objects thrown against the house. Many policies define a storm as wind above 90 km/h, or wind that damaged several buildings and trees in the area.
- Rain coming in through the hole the wind opened, usually within the following 48 hours.
- Flooding from torrential rain, flash floods or a stream bursting its banks.
Many policies apply an excess («franquia») to these covers, meaning a part of the loss that you always pay yourself.
What is usually left out
- Rain coming in through windows, doors, the roof or a terrace that the storm did not break.
- Slow leaks, damp and condensation.
- Things left outdoors, such as garden furniture, unless you have specific cover for them.
- Walls, fences, gates, awnings and outside blinds, when the house itself was not damaged.
- Damage caused by the sea.
What about the car?
Damage to the car is a matter for your car insurance, and only if you have natural events cover. If the garage flooded, the walls and storage are for the home insurance and the car is for the car insurance.
Do you live in a block of flats?
Tell the building management («condomínio») as well. The roof, the façade and the other common parts belong to everyone, and the building may have its own insurance for them.
We are here to help
If you have damage and do not know where to start, email us at segurosgamboa@segurosgamboa.pt with your full name, the policy number (if you have it to hand), the address, the day it happened and a few photos.
General information, which does not replace reading the terms of your policy. Having a cover in your policy does not, by itself, guarantee payment: each case is assessed by the insurer. Cover, excesses, deadlines and exclusions vary from insurer to insurer and may change.