The Meteorological Office has issued a weather warning for Storm Ciarán that is expected to bring damaging winds and heavy widespread rain to southern England and Wales on Thursday 2nd November.

As one of the UK’s largest home and motor insurers, Ageas is advising members of the public to stay safe and make sure garden objects like tables, chairs, trampolines and bins are secure to stop them causing damage to property. Doors and windows should also be fastened and if possible, cars should be parked in a garage to protect them from falling debris.

We know that thousands of people, including our customers, are currently in the path of this storm and so we’ve invoked our storm and flood plan with extra claims consultants standing-by to support customers. We’ve also got a team ready to deal with any claims reported through our online claim hub so, however a customer asks for our support, we’ll be ready.

We understand just how disruptive and distressing it can be when our homes are damaged by extreme weather and so we are urging people to take heed of this warning and batten down the hatches.

Stephen Linklater, Claims Director Ageas UK

Homeowners can find more advice and tips on how to protect their homes at Ageas’s dedicated online storm hub