“Evaluating the initial data, we see that this storm hit residents’ property the hardest. More than nine out of ten reports are related to residential houses, farm buildings, yard structures, and other private property. We record significantly fewer car damages, but some cases are also significant,” says Mantas Norkus, Head of the Customer Service Center at Lietuvos draudimas.
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According to the insurer’s data, the city and district of Vilnius were the most affected by the weekend storm. These areas register the most reports of damaged residential houses, farm buildings, yard structures, flooding, and wind-caused losses. Residents report torn-off roofs, property flooded by rainwater, structures damaged by fallen trees, and other damages.
Among the storm’s consequences, flooded basements and other rooms prevail, washed away or damaged plots, damage caused by fallen trees and broken branches, items overturned by strong wind, damaged fences, or other yard structures.
“Preliminarily, the largest registered damages amount to tens of thousands of euros. In one case, part of a residential house roof was torn off during the strong storm, and it was heavily flooded. In another case, the storm tore off part of the roof, destroyed its structures, cut electrical wires, and damaged the fence,” comments M. Norkus.
There were also reports of significant damages due to cars flooded in underground parking lots. In such cases, the damage usually amounts to thousands of euros, and cars can be irreparably damaged.
After storms of this nature, the number of damages often continues to grow for several days. Some people do not notice losses immediately. For example, water may start seeping through a damaged roof later, and damages to structures, electrical installations, or interior finishes become apparent only after repair work begins. Therefore, according to the insurer’s representative, it is likely that both the number of damages and the reserved amount will still increase.
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According to the insurance expert, recent years’ damage data show a clear trend: the consequences of natural disasters are becoming more expensive, and local storms can cause significant losses to specific areas.
“Summer storms are often sudden and very concentrated. They may last briefly, but during that time cause great damage to houses, cars, and yard infrastructure. This time we see exactly such a scenario – strong wind and heavy rain caused hundreds of damages in a short time, and the biggest blow hit the city and district of Vilnius,” says M. Norkus.
After suffering damage due to a storm, it is first recommended to ensure the safety of yourself and your loved ones. If there is a danger due to electricity, unstable structures, fallen trees, or roof parts on the road, emergency services should be called.
If possible, residents are advised to take actions to reduce further losses. For example, temporarily cover the damaged roof, remove items from flooded rooms, disconnect electrical appliances, protect property from additional water ingress. It is also important to document damages with photos and contact your insurance company for compensation as soon as possible.
“Lietuvos draudimas” clients can report incidents using the mobile app or the self-service website “SavasLD.”
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