Best Car Insurance For Bad Weather
Comprehensive car insurance is the only policy type that covers weather damage to your vehicle. It covers storm, flood, hail, wind, and falling tree damage as standard.
UK weather is becoming more extreme, with storms, flooding, and hail causing thousands of vehicle damage claims every year. If you only have basic car insurance, you pay for all weather-related repairs yourself.
This guide explains what comprehensive cover includes for bad weather, what to look for when comparing policies, and how weather claims work.
Comprehensive is the only cover that pays for weather damage to your own car. Third-party and TPFT policies leave you funding storm, flood and hail repairs yourself. Worth knowing before you claim: weather damage is usually recorded as at-fault, because there is no third party for your insurer to recover from, so your no-claims discount takes the hit anyway.
Compare comprehensive car insurance before the next storm season.
What weather damage does comprehensive insurance cover?
Comprehensive insurance covers damage from storms, floods, hail, wind, lightning, and falling trees or debris. The damage must be caused by forces beyond your control.
What types of weather event are covered?
A fully comprehensive policy typically covers storm damage including wind, rain, and lightning, flood damage from rising water levels or surface water, and hail damage to bodywork, paintwork, and glass.
It also covers damage from falling trees, branches, and debris dislodged by high winds. Subsidence caused by prolonged dry weather is usually excluded from motor policies.
What’s the key principle behind weather claims?
You must have taken reasonable care. If your insurer can show you acted negligently, such as driving into deep floodwater or parking under a clearly unsafe tree, they may reduce or refuse the payout.
Parking sensibly during storms and avoiding flooded roads strengthens your claim. Dashcam footage and timestamped photos help prove you weren’t at fault.
Which policy types cover bad weather?
Only comprehensive insurance covers weather damage to your own vehicle. Third-party and TPFT policies leave you paying for all storm, flood, and hail repairs yourself.
How do the three policy types compare?
| Cover type | Storm damage | Flood damage | Hail damage | Falling trees | Lightning |
| Comprehensive | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| TPFT | No | No | No | No | Fire only |
| Third-party only | No | No | No | No | No |
TPFT covers fire, which may include a fire caused by a lightning strike. But it doesn’t cover electrical damage from lightning without fire, or any other weather damage.
Third-party only covers nothing on your own vehicle at all. If a falling tree crushes your car, you pay for everything.
If you live in an area prone to flooding, storms, or falling trees, the repair cost from a single weather event can easily run into thousands of pounds.
What features should you look for in a bad weather policy?
Not all comprehensive policies are equal. When comparing cover for bad weather, some features make a real difference if you need to claim.
Which features matter most?
- Courtesy car provision: weather repairs can take days or weeks, so a policy that provides a courtesy car keeps you mobile
- Approved repairer network: insurers with good repairer networks can get your car fixed faster after storm damage
- Low or reasonable excess: your excess is what you pay towards each claim, so a lower figure means less out of pocket
- Windscreen cover included: most comprehensive policies include separate windscreen cover with a lower excess for hail and debris damage
- NCD protection: some policies protect your no-claims discount for one claim per year, which is valuable because weather claims affect your NCD
Understanding how your excess works helps you decide when to claim and when to pay for repairs yourself.
Do weather claims affect your no-claims discount?
Yes, weather damage claims are usually classified as at-fault because there’s no third party for your insurer to recover costs from. This typically reduces your no-claims discount and can increase your premium at renewal.
Why are weather claims treated as at-fault?
Even though the weather wasn’t your fault, the insurer can’t recover the cost from anyone else. For insurance purposes, this makes it an at-fault claim.
Before claiming for weather damage, compare the repair cost against your excess and the potential impact on your NCD. For minor damage close to your excess amount, paying for repairs yourself may save you more in the long run.
Some insurers offer policies that specifically protect your NCD for weather-related claims. If you live in a high-risk area for storms or flooding, this is a feature worth looking for.
How do you claim for weather damage?
Document the damage with photos, note the weather conditions, and contact your insurer as soon as possible. Don’t attempt repairs before the insurer has assessed the damage.
What steps should you follow?
- Photograph all damage from multiple angles, including the cause such as a fallen tree, floodwater marks, or hail dents
- Record the date, time, and conditions and check the Met Office website for weather reports to support your claim
- Don’t attempt repairs before contacting your insurer, as they need to assess the damage first
- Contact your insurer promptly with your policy number, photos, and a description of what happened
- Keep all repair quotes and invoices as your insurer will arrange assessment but your own quotes are useful for comparison
The Met Office publishes weather warnings and historical data that can support your claim. Screenshot any relevant warnings for your area on the day of the damage.
You can also check the government’s flood warning service for flood alerts in your area. Having this evidence makes the claims process smoother.
How long does a weather claim take?
Most weather damage claims are settled within two to four weeks once all documentation is provided. Flood damage involving electrical systems or interior water ingress may take longer.
If your car is undriveable, your insurer should arrange recovery and a courtesy car while repairs are carried out. Check your policy wording to confirm this is included.
The Association of British Insurers publishes guidance on what to do after storm and flood damage, including how to protect your vehicle and make a claim.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Yes, by comprehensive insurance only. Hail damage to bodywork, paintwork, and windscreens is covered as standard.
Comprehensive insurance covers flood damage if your car was parked and the flooding was unavoidable. Deliberately driving through floodwater may lead to a refused claim.
Usually yes, because weather claims are classified as at-fault. Your insurer can’t recover costs from a third party, which typically reduces your NCD and pushes your premium up at renewal.
No, TPFT covers fire and theft only. Storm, flood, hail, and wind damage all require comprehensive insurance.
Driving during a weather warning doesn’t automatically invalidate your claim. However, if you drove negligently in those conditions, the insurer may refuse or reduce the payout.
Comprehensive insurance covers lightning damage. TPFT may cover fire caused by lightning under the fire element, but not electrical damage without fire.