Insurers pay out £650m for snow damage

Insurers paid out £650 million in weather-related claims as the UK suffered the coldest winter for 30 years, a trade body said today. About 335,000 claims were made between December 18 and January 13.

The claims were made after the country was hit by heavy snow and freezing temperatures, the Association of British Insurers said.

The biggest area for claims was on car insurance, with insurers handling 268,400 claims and paying out £395 million to cover the cost of damage to vehicles as drivers struggled on slippery roads.

A further £255 million was paid to homeowners and businesses who submitted 66,600 claims - double the number of weather damage claims insurers would normally expect to receive during the period.

Within this total 60,200 claims were made by homeowners, with insurers paying out £194 million to cover damage to their properties, particularly for roof damage caused by snow.

Nick Starling, the ABI's director of general insurance and health, said: "Insurers have paid out nearly £1 billion to customers following bad weather this winter, as the heavy snow came weeks after flooding in Cumbria."

The group said it is too early to say whether the claims for this winter will lead to a hike in insurance premiums.