Storm Damage to Your Roof: Insurance Claim Checklist for Dublin and Wicklow Homes

Ireland's storm season is under way. Met Éireann's 2026/27 storm names list covers the season from 1 September 2026 to 31 August 2027. When a strong wind warning passes over Dublin City, North Dublin, South Dublin, Lucan, Bray, Wicklow or Naas, the first sign of trouble is often a slipped slate, a lifted ridge tile, a loose gutter or a damp patch upstairs.

If the damage looks significant, two jobs run side by side: making the roof safe and watertight, and keeping a clear record for your home insurer. This checklist explains both in plain steps, so you can keep the roof dry and your claim well documented.

Before anything else: stay safe

Storm damage can look minor from the garden and be much worse up close. Do not climb onto the roof, onto a flat roof extension or up a ladder in wind or rain to check it.

• Stay away from fallen slates, tiles, flashing or chimney pieces, and keep children and pets clear of the area below the eaves.
• If power lines or service cables are down or damaged, keep well away and report it to ESB Networks on 1800 372 999, their 24/7 line for faults and damaged lines.
• If water is coming through a ceiling near lights or sockets, switch off the electricity at the board if it is safe to do so and call an electrician.
• If a chimney, gable or part of the roof looks unstable, keep everyone out of the rooms below.

Met Éireann's weather warnings explain what yellow, orange and red warnings mean. During an orange or red warning, wait until conditions have eased before anyone works at height.

Photos and notes to take straight away

Good records make it much easier to explain what happened to your insurer and to your roofer. Take these from the ground, from windows and from inside. Do not take them from the roof.

Keep damaged items rather than throwing them away, unless they are unsafe, and photograph them first. If you move contents out of a wet room, take a photo before and after.

Contact your insurer early

The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) has a guide to making an insurance claim. It advises contacting your insurer or broker as soon as you find a problem and asking for a claim form. It also says to check your full policy, not just the summary.

When you call, note:

• The claim reference number and the name of the person you spoke to.
• What the insurer says about emergency or temporary repairs, and whether those costs are covered.
• Whether they will send a loss adjuster, and whether they want you to wait for an inspection before permanent repairs.
• Your policy excess. The CCPC's home insurance guide notes that claims below the excess cannot be made. It also notes that storm cover under buildings insurance can come with restrictions, and that storm damage to gates and fences is not usually covered.

Policies differ, so your own policy wording and your insurer's advice decide what is covered. We cannot tell you whether a claim will be accepted. What we can do is give you a clear account of the roof damage and the work needed.

Temporary repairs: stop the water first

Leaving a storm-damaged roof open can turn a small repair into wet insulation, damaged ceilings and ruined contents. The CCPC notes that your insurer may suggest emergency repairs, so check with them first if you can. Keep every receipt and invoice either way.

Typical temporary or emergency work after a storm includes:

• Refixing or replacing slipped or missing slates and tiles where safe access allows.
• Securing a loose ridge, hip or verge tile that could fall.
• Weighting or fixing a temporary cover over an opening until a permanent repair can be made.
• Clearing and refixing a blocked, loose or damaged gutter or downpipe that is pouring water down a wall.
• Checking the attic for wet insulation and water tracking along timbers.

Ask your roofer to photograph the damage before and after any temporary work. Those photos are often more detailed than anything you can take from the ground.

What a useful roofer's report includes

After a storm, an insurer or loss adjuster may ask for a report or quote from a roofer. A clear one usually includes:

• The address, inspection date and how the roof was accessed.
• Photos of each damaged area, with a short description of what is wrong.
• Which damage appears to be recent storm damage and which looks like existing wear, such as old nail fatigue or perished mortar.
• The emergency work already carried out and its cost.
• A separate, itemised scope and quote for permanent repairs.
• Any access needs, such as scaffolding over a conservatory, extension or busy Dublin City footpath.

Being honest about wear and age matters. Insurers may look closely at maintenance, and a report that separates storm damage from long-term wear is easier for everyone to rely on.

Loss adjusters, assessors and complaints

A loss adjuster is appointed by the insurer to assess the claim. The CCPC explains that a loss assessor is someone you can choose to hire for larger claims, and that assessor fees are not covered by your policy.

If you are unhappy with how a claim is handled, the first step is to complain to the insurer directly. If you have received their final response and are still not satisfied, the Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman explains how to bring a complaint to it.

Roof checks once the storm has passed

Even if nothing obvious has fallen, it is worth a careful look from the ground in the days after a storm:

• Slates or tiles sitting out of line, or gaps in a row.
• Ridge, hip or verge tiles that look lifted or loose.
• Lead or flashing lifted at chimneys, walls, roof windows and valleys.
• Gutters pulled away from the fascia, or downpipes off their brackets.
• Bits of felt, lead or mortar in the garden or on a flat roof below.
• New damp patches on ceilings, especially near chimney breasts and roof windows.

Coastal and exposed homes in Bray, Greystones and the wider Wicklow area, and higher ground around Naas, often take the brunt of strong winds. A quick professional inspection after a big storm can catch problems before the next band of rain.

Get storm damage checked by Perfect Roofing

Perfect Roofing carries out storm damage inspections, emergency temporary repairs and permanent roof, gutter and roof window repairs across Dublin City, North Dublin, South Dublin, Lucan, Bray, Wicklow, Naas and nearby areas. We can photograph the damage, explain what we find and give you a clear, itemised quote to share with your insurer.

Contact us by WhatsApp, call 083 066 3462, or email hi@perfectroofing.ie. Send safe photos taken from the ground or from inside, and tell us when the damage happened and whether water is coming in.