Playing it safe in a storm

However, you can protect yourself from the worst effects of these storms.
Michelle van Staden, head of claims at a prominent insurance company, shares some useful tips on how to play it safe in a storm and minimise the damage to your home and your car:

• Avoid driving in hailstorms. If you are caught in a hailstorm, pull into an undercover parking lot as soon as possible to limit the amount of hailstorm exposure to your vehicle. Take note of the storm warnings that are sent by insurers – do not drive if possible when there is a threat of hail.
• Keep a safe following distance. Rainy and wet conditions usually result in a deterioration of the condition of the roads. Particularly in wet weather, make sure you increase your following distance to more than the prescribed equivalent length of three cars, while decreasing your speed.
• Keep your headlights on to increase your visibility and the visibility of your car to other drivers. If necessary, use your hazard lights to warn cars behind you, should you need to stop suddenly.
  n Sustain gutter and roof maintenance. As a policyholder, you have a responsibility to maintain your home to prevent unnecessary damage. A great time to check your roof for leaks or damages and carry out any required repairs is during the dry winter months.
• Clear the gutters of leaves, twigs and other debris regularly. Heavy rains and an overflowing gutter can lead to a leaky roof. Check the downpipes too and make sure the rain has somewhere to drain. Large pools of water gathering at ground level can cause rising damp, or even damage the foundations of your home.
• Prevent surge damage. A common weather-related insurance issue is the damage to electronic devices through lightning damage. As soon as a storm starts or if you have received a weather warning, unplug as many electronic devices as possible. This includes your Wi-Fi router, cellphone chargers, television sets and computers.
• Stay inside the building or seek shelter if you are outside during a hailstorm. If you are driving, pull over and seek shelter, preferably under a concrete shelter or even in a garage forecourt, and wait out the storm. Avoid seeking shelter under a tree as tree limbs could fall on your car, causing serious damage and possible injury to you (not to mention lightning strike on the tree).