Does your insurance cover you for riot damage?

If you've been hit by the rioting and looting, are you covered?

The last few nights have seen terrifying scenes of violence and chaos, not just in London but also Birmingham, Bristol and Manchester.

And while the pictures on the news at times have resembled something you’d see in a film, the resultant damage and destruction is all too real – and it’s us who are left to pick up the pieces.

So if your home or property has fallen victim to the looters, where do you stand?

Are you covered?

Most home insurance policies should cover policy holders for fire and looting, as well as temporary accommodation if you have been forced to leave your home.

If you are a business owner, then your commercial insurance policies will usually cover you for damage to your premises. Such policies should also offer cover for any financial loss suffered as a result of interruption to your business.

Indeed, even if your business has not been damaged, you may be able to make a claim if your trade has been affected, or will be in the coming days and weeks as a result of the riots.

What to do next?

Obviously, all policies are slightly different, so the best way to work out what you are covered for, and how to go about making a claim, is to contact your insurer directly. If you use an insurance broker, you should contact them too.

Most insurers offer 24-hour helplines anyway, while incident response teams for many insurers have already been sent to the affected areas to assess the damage.

The Association of British Insurers has already suggested that the eventual cost to insurers of the riots could run into tens of millions of pounds.

Tell us what you think

Have you been affected by the riots? Are you worried about your property? What do you think of what's giong on? Let us know your thoughts using the comments box below.

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