
• Plan ahead for worsening weather events
• Claims for storms last year reached £170m
• Rural insurer stands ready to help farmers
Farmers are being urged to act now to protect their farms from devastating winter storms.
The warning from NFU Mutual comes after Storm Arwen battered the countryside in late 2021. The insurer says claims figures for this storm alone reached over £80m for farms, homes and other rural businesses.
This was followed by Storms Dudley, Eunice and Franklin, which hit the country in quick succession early last year. Together, the storms caused damage costing more than £170m as NFU Mutual supported over 20,000 customers with claims.
Widespread power outages disrupted farm work and transport routes. Fallen trees, branches and debris caused damage to vehicles and machinery, while wind speeds of up to 120mph ripped roofing sheets and cladding off homes and farm buildings.
Extreme weather
NFU Mutual rural affairs specialist Hannah Binns said: “Isolated rural communities, farms and dwellings are more at risk from extreme weather, so we are urging everyone to plan ahead and take great care if working outside in stormy conditions.
“There are a number of preventative steps farmers can take while the weather is calm, such as identifying safer ground to move livestock to in the event of flooding or snow, but human safety should always be the number one priority.
“It is also worth noting alternative fuel and power sources in case of a power cut or disruption, such as making sure generators are in working condition and able to run at full load for long periods.
“It is important to keep up-to-date with weather warnings and have your insurer’s details to hand.”
NFU Mutual has a network of 295 agency offices who know their communities and are on standby to progress repairs after the storms, including making emergency payments and settling simpler claims immediately.
“We also work closely with agricultural specialist loss adjusters, so we are able to quickly deploy people who understand your business,” said Ms Binns.
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