Does my home insurance protect me from heatwaves?

Data from the European Environment Agency indicates that extreme weather events such as heatwaves, floods, droughts, and storms are increasing in frequency at an alarming rate. 

For the first time ever, weather-related damage to homes and possessions resulted in over £200 million in insurance claims between January and April 2025. These record payouts, according to the Association of British Insurers (ABI), come after a period of significant extreme weather, including Storm Eowyn, which the Met Office characterized as the UK's most powerful storm in a decade.

Extreme weather events cause significant home damage, influencing insurance premiums and claim excesses. Insurers determine premiums based on risk assessment. An increase in such events escalates the frequency and severity of claims, raising coverage costs as providers transfer these expenses to customers.

As heatwaves continue to impact many parts of the UK in summer 2025, home insurance claims may increase due to temperature-related damage. Liz Hunter, our commercial director at Money Expert explores this issue further, looking into the potential harm heatwaves pose to UK properties, whether your home insurance covers you for extreme weather and what to do if you’re affected.

What type of damage can heatwaves inflict on UK homes? 

Generally, UK homes are designed to retain heat during cold, wet winters and aren’t well equipped for very high temperatures that we’re currently experiencing in the latest heatwave. The heat can inflict damage to your home in a number of ways, such as: 

Cracked walls and foundations - Prolonged heat and very ground can cause subsidence, or ground shrinkage, which means you might start to see large cracks in your walls, foundations, paths and driveways. 

Damage to roofing and gutters - The intense sun and heat has the power to warp roofing materials, which causes tiles to crack or move. This can then lead to long term issues such as leaking roofs and drainage issues. Guttering, particularly uPVC, can be weakened by prolonged heat and sunlight, causing them to warp or become brittle. 

Melted sealants and paint - Extreme, prolonged heat has the potential to soften or even melt window and door sealants, which can cause issues with leaks and the fit of your properties windows and doors. Exterior paint can also be affected, with the heat blistering paintwork on walls, windows, doors and other exterior surfaces. 

Damage to pipes and plumbing - The heat could cause damage to your plumbing, particularly if it’s outside the home. The high temperatures can cause pipes to expand or deform, which could lead to leaks in the future. 

Issues with condensation and mold - If the weather suddenly cools or turns wet after a heatwave, it can lead to excess moisture build up, which can cause damp and mold in poorly ventilated properties. 

Will most home insurance cover damage from a heatwave?

Most domestic buildings and contents insurance policies usually cover against extreme weather, including extreme heat, with some insurers paying for alternative accommodation in more severe cases. That said, most outbuildings including fences, garden sheds and gates are usually excluded (unless your policy specifically states otherwise), so it’s worth getting additional cover if you wouldn’t want to pay for any damage done to the outside of your home. 

Your policy will clearly set out what damage you’re insured for, and list any exclusions that apply. Most insurers define extreme weather in more detail in their policies and will let you know whether you’re covered or not. If there are unprecedented or unexpected weather conditions, some insurers may define these events as an ‘act of God’, leaving you without cover and having to pay for the damage yourself. 

It’s important to look at the specific wording in your home insurance policy along with the terms and conditions, or speak with the insurer directly to see whether they cover your home for severe weather events, so you aren’t caught out if you need to claim in future. 

What to do if your home is damaged in an extreme weather event?

As mentioned, many buildings and contents insurance policies will often cover damage caused by extreme weather. However, definitions do vary, and it’s worth checking the details in your individual home insurance policy before making a claim as it’s not always easy to understand the level of cover you have. For example, some damage can be classed as accidental, and as this is often sold as an optional extra, you may not be covered. 

Stay safe 

In the aftermath of extreme weather, it’s important to make sure that you are prioritising your and your family’s safety. This includes assessing any damage, such as structural instability from a storm or subsidence after a severe heatwave, for example. Follow any instructions from emergency services or local authorities, and if you’ve been advised to evacuate, do so immediately. 

Contact your insurance provider 

As soon as you notice any damage following an extreme weather event and as soon as it’s safe to do so, you should contact your insurance provider to report any damage and begin the claims process. Many have 24-hour helplines, so you should be able to get help in an emergency.  

Document and assess the damage

It’s important to document the damage by taking as many videos and pictures as possible of your home and your belongings. This acts as proof, particularly if you need emergency repairs, and may be needed by your insurance provider to start the claims process. It’s important to also keep a record of any repair costs and any temporary accommodation costs too. Once you’ve made contact with your insurance provider, they may send a loss adjuster to assess the damage and take their own photos and videos. 

Emergency repairs 

To avoid further damage to your home and make your property safe, you can arrange to have emergency repairs carried out by a qualified professional. However, you’ll still need to contact your insurer in the meantime to let them know what’s happened, and whether you’ll be making a claim. Make sure you keep any receipts from any repair work as proof for the claim you’ll be making on your home insurance. 

Keep detailed records

Try to maintain detailed records of all communication with your insurance provider and any tradespeople who may have completed emergency repairs, as well as a list of repair costs and, if needed, expenses related to temporary accommodation. You’ll want to make sure your insurance provider takes these into account when deciding how much to payout. 

Things to be aware of 

Bear in mind, you will still need to pay any excess if you claim on your home insurance damage following an extreme weather event, so it might be worth checking whether the cost of repairs is significantly more than the excess. It may not be worth going through your insurer if the damage won’t cost that much to fix. Before going ahead with a claim, it’s also worth remembering that your premiums will most likely increase upon renewal of your policy.  

Finally, if you’re not satisfied with the way a claim or complaint was handled by your insurer, then you can contact the Financial Ombudsman service.