How to Prepare for Stormy Wet Weather

Could you be affected by the recent weather?

As Storm Debi approaches, we are experiencing a large volume of calls. We value all our customers and will work to assist you all as quickly as possible. There will be delays as we work to help customers who have been most affected so please bear with us.

Household Claims

Your safety and the security of your home is our number one priority.
If your property is not watertight please arrange to make it secure to prevent further damage.
Where there has been minor storm damage to your home (up to 20 tiles blown off the roof and the damage is less than €2,000 to be repaired) you may arrange for the damage to be repaired.
Take photos of the damage
Make sure to keep receipts and invoices for all repairs.
Send your invoice to corpclaimsdept@ie.rsagroup.com and include your policy number.
We will review your claim and additional documentation.
In the event of flood damage or roof and internal damage please contact us by phone 01 290 1000 or by email at corpclaimsdept@ie.rsagroup.com. Make sure to provide a contact number where we can reach you.
We need to capture the details and severity of your claim which may result in us arranging for our representative to visit you. In the intervening period if you wish to remove damaged items from your home please do so but remember to retain them for inspection.

Preparing for Possible Flooding

Listen out for flood warnings on your TV and radio stations.
Prepare a 'Flood Pack' and make sure that everyone in your home or business knows where it is. The pack should include: a torch, battery-operated radio (with spare batteries), a first aid kit, warm clothes, blankets and bottles of water. Keep it in a safe place.
Agree in advance where members of your family or employees could go and how to stay in touch in case your property has to be evacuated.
If you have one, remember to take your mobile phone upstairs and keep it charged.
Have sandbags at the ready - your local council may be able to provide these - and boards ready to block doors.
Consider moving any cars to higher ground.
If you have pets, keep them safe. Flood water can contain sewage which in some cases can be fatal to your cat or dog.
Be prepared to move furniture and valuable items upstairs or to a safe place, out of danger. Remember to include items like photos and valuable paperwork that have high sentimental value and will be difficult to replace.
If you have time, roll up carpets and rugs and put them in a safe place. Take down curtains or lift them over rods to keep them away from any floodwater.
If you receive warnings of imminent flooding, be ready to switch off gas and electricity supplies but listen for advice on your local radio station. If water levels start to enter your home or business, turn off the gas and the electricity at the main fuse board.
Have a map of your local area handy. If you decide to evacuate, remember that some local roads may already be blocked and impassable. Do not attempt to drive across flooded roads.
If your home or business is flooded, contact us as soon as possible.

Flood Advice

Do not touch the electrics.
Once the flood water has started to recede, if the weather allows open all windows during the day – the air outside the house will be less moist than that inside, so it helps to dry out the house. By mid-afternoon, the air outside will be moist, so close your windows and put your heating back on.
Although you will instinctively want to dry items as quickly as possible, do not expose them to extremes level of heat as this could result in further damage.
When salvaging photographs/valuable paperwork, remove excess water and keep tightly together. Leave to dry naturally. Using a de-humidifier - leave it running in very affected rooms.
Fridges and freezers should be cleaned out as soon as possible and any food thrown away. If you have the relevant insurance cover, remember to keep a list of food items for your claim and, if possible, take a photograph.
Store damaged furniture and fittings in a dry place, they may have a salvage value or could be repairable. Either way they will need to be inspected.
Remove all soaked rubber –backed carpets and leave them in the garden as these will have to be replaced. Leave hessian-backed carpets on the floor to dry, as they will shrink if lifted. Once they are dry, the carpets can be lifted to dry the areas underneath.
Once the flood water has receded, remember it may be contaminated. Be careful what you touch and look out for signs of pollution.
Do not attempt to redecorate straight away, it may take months for a property to dry out properly. It is important to check with a decorator or other experts to ensure that the walls and other surfaces are fully dried out and, if necessary, treated to prevent mould.