You’ve probably noticed that the UK weather seems to be becoming harder to predict. Heavy rainfall, flooding, strong winds and periods of extreme temperatures regularly make the headlines.
It’s easy to see stories about flooded shops, damaged buildings or businesses forced to close and think, “That won’t happen to us.” But severe weather can affect businesses in ways you might not expect. It could damage your premises and stock or even leave you temporarily unable to trade.
With changing weather patterns, including the influence of El Niño, we thought it was a good time to look at the reality of the risks UK businesses face.
So, let’s look at some of the facts and how different types of weather could affect your business. Most importantly, would your insurance actually protect you if it happened to you?
It’s Not Always the Weather You Need to Worry About
When we think about weather damage, we tend to picture the obvious. But for businesses and property owners, it’s often what happens next that causes the bigger problem.
A storm could damage your roof. The rain that gets in afterwards could then ruin computers, machinery or stock. A flood might only reach a small part of your premises but still leave you unable to open for weeks. Freezing temperatures could cause a pipe to burst overnight and damage thousands of pounds worth of equipment before anyone knows there’s a problem.
Weather-related damage isn’t always predictable, and neither are the knock-on effects.
That’s why business insurance isn’t just about protecting the building itself. You also need to think about what’s inside it, what else could be damaged and what would happen financially if you suddenly couldn’t trade.
Lets Look At Flooding
When you think of a business at risk of flooding, you might picture a property next to a river or on the coast. But flooding can happen in places you might not expect.
Heavy rainfall can overwhelm local drainage and cause water to build up on streets and around properties. This means your business could still be at risk even if there isn’t a river anywhere nearby.
For a business, the cost can go far beyond drying out the building. Floodwater could damage stock, furniture, computers, machinery and specialist equipment. More serious flooding could leave your premises unusable and your business unable to trade.
This is where the right combination of Commercial Buildings, Contents, Stock and Business Interruption cover can become important. The exact protection will depend on your policy. Check what it covers, how much your stock and equipment are insured for and whether you have protection if an insured event stops you from trading.
Strong Winds & Storms: The Damage Can Escalate Quickly
Strong winds can cause obvious and expensive damage to commercial property. This could include damaged roofs, windows, signage, fencing and external structures. But just like flooding, the knock-on effects can cause even more disruption.
A damaged roof or broken window could allow heavy rain into your premises. That water could then affect stock, equipment, electrics and interiors. Fallen trees and debris could cause further damage too. In more serious cases, you may need to close the premises while repairs take place.
Commercial Buildings and Contents Insurance can provide protection against insured storm damage. Business Interruption cover can also become particularly important if the damage leaves you unable to trade as normal.
Thinking About Freezing Temperatures
When temperatures drop, frozen pipes can burst and cause significant water damage. The risk can be particularly concerning when business premises are empty overnight, at weekends or during holiday periods, as you may not discover the problem straight away.
A burst pipe could damage ceilings, flooring, furniture, stock and electrical equipment. It could also leave parts of your premises unusable while you dry everything out and complete repairs.
Depending on your policy, Commercial Buildings and Contents Insurance may cover insured escape-of-water damage. Business Interruption cover could also be important if the damage prevents you from trading normally.
If you leave your premises unoccupied for longer periods, check the conditions of your policy too. Your insurer may have specific requirements around heating, inspections or draining water systems.
Thinking Beyond Winter: Extreme Heat
Although we’re heading into winter, we all know how hot recent UK summers have been. If your business insurance renewal is coming up, don’t only think about the risks you’re facing right now. Think about the year ahead too.
When it comes to extreme heat, one of the more obvious concerns is fire. Hot, dry conditions can make grass and vegetation easier to ignite. They can also allow fires to spread more quickly — something that has become a much more noticeable risk during recent UK summers.
There are also property risks that we perhaps haven’t traditionally had to think about as much in the UK. Long periods of hot, dry weather can cause certain types of soil to shrink. This can lead to ground movement and potentially subsidence, cracking and structural damage.
As our summers become hotter, we need to think about how these changing risks could affect commercial properties. It’s also worth considering whether the insurance protecting them is keeping up.
What If the Damage Means You Can’t Use Your Property?
Whatever the weather event, repairing the physical damage may only be part of the problem. A flood, fire or serious storm could leave a commercial property unsafe or unusable for weeks or even months while repairs are carried out.
For a business operating from that property, this could mean losing income while still having ongoing costs to pay. For a landlord, it could mean losing rental income if tenants are unable to use the premises.
This is where Business Interruption Insurance can be just as important as protecting the building itself. Depending on the policy, it can provide cover for certain financial losses following insured property damage and help support the business while it gets back up and running.
When arranging cover, it’s worth thinking realistically about how long your property could take to recover after serious damage — not simply how much it would cost to repair it.
Having Insurance Doesn’t Always Mean You’re Fully Covered
Having commercial property insurance in place is one thing — making sure it still reflects what your property and everything inside it are actually worth today is another.
Building costs can change, businesses can invest in new equipment and stock levels can increase. If the values on your policy haven’t kept up, you could find yourself underinsured when you come to make a claim.
It’s also important to understand exactly what your policy includes. Storm, flood, fire and other weather-related risks may be treated differently depending on the insurer, property and policy terms.
That’s why it’s worth regularly reviewing your cover rather than simply renewing the same policy each year — particularly as the weather risks facing UK commercial properties continue to change.
Make Sure Your Property Is Ready With CoverMy
At CoverMy, we like to actually get to know you, your business and your property. Our commercial insurance team can meet you face-to-face, whether that’s welcoming you into our friendly Harlow office or, where appropriate, coming out to your premises to see the property for themselves and better understand what needs protecting.
And that personal service doesn’t disappear once your policy is arranged. Our entire team, including our customer service team, is based together in our Harlow office, so you have real people you can speak to when you have a question, your circumstances change or you simply need some help.
We want to build an ongoing relationship with the businesses and property owners we insure, so as your business or property changes, we can continue to understand your needs and help make sure the right cover is in place.
Because when something unexpected does happen, you want to know there’s a team behind your policy who already knows you and your business.
Speak to Our Commercial Insurance Team
Learn more: Visit our Commercial Insurance page to explore the different types of cover available.
Get a quote: Request a tailored commercial insurance quote online today.
Need some help? Call our friendly Commercial Insurance team on 0345 040 1945 and we’ll talk through your property and insurance requirements.
Prefer to message? Send us a message through our website or get in touch via our online contact form.
Based in Harlow or the surrounding area? Come and speak to us locally. We’re proud to build real relationships with our commercial clients and be there when you need us.
