Prepare for the rain and hailstorm season
As we enter the summer season, we are reminding our customers to prepare for possible weather-related incidents. While it is difficult to anticipate when the first storm will hit, homeowners can put in place a few precautions for both hail and thunderstorms. This will help to safeguard people from injury and will also help alleviate damage to people’s belongings.
Many will recall the severe hailstorms experienced in 2014 across the Gauteng region, which had insurance providers inundated with claims. We recommend the following guidelines to plan around possible summer season weather incidents:
When possible, avoid driving in hailstorms. If this isn’t possible, pull into an undercover facility to limit the amount of hailstorm exposure to your vehicle. Consider signing up to a weather alert service where you receive weather notifications via SMS. This will help drivers to plan their trips.
With Gauteng typically experiencing rain during the summer season, road conditions often deteriorate during this time. There is typically an increase in road accidents during the summer months in Johannesburg. When driving in the rain, drivers should increase their following distance by a minimum of a three car length, as well as decrease their driving speed and turn on their vehicle’s headlights.
Cape Town has historically experienced floods during the fourth quarter of the year. To prevent serious damage should flooding occur, we suggest that you ensure gutters are free of leaves and other debris and that your roof is in good repair.
Another common weather-related insurance issue is the damage to electronic devices through lightning damage. At the start of a storm, people should unplug as many of their electronic devices as possible such as your WiFi router, cellphone charger, UPS and computer.
While we can’t guarantee weather patterns or incidents, where possible, following some suggested guidelines will go a long way in helping to protect both people and their belongings.
Source: Mutual & Federal
