How to receive compensation after a storm surge

Storm surge

Here you will find information on how to receive compensation after a storm surge.

Submit a claim

You can apply for compensation if you have suffered storm surge damage. You must apply within two months after the Danish Natural Hazards Council has stated that there has been a storm surge.

You must submit your claim to your insurance company, i.e. the company with which you have insured the damaged property against fire. If your house is insured against fire with one insurance company and your contents are insured with another, you must submit your claim to the company with which your house is insured.

Your insurance company will process your claim.

Visit by a loss adjuster

When you have submitted your claim to your insurance company, a loss adjuster will contact you. You make arrangement for inspection of your damage with the loss adjuster.

Before the loss adjuster visits you, you will receive a movable property form to complete. You must complete the form in time for the loss adjuster’s visit. This will make the claim settlement process easier.

After the visit, the loss adjuster will send you a statement of damage. This will include the prices of the work required. The loss adjuster will prepare the statement based on the principle of replacement. This means that compensation is based on what it will cost to repair the damage at the time when the statement was prepared. In some cases, a deduction may be made for reduction in value on account of age, wear and loss of usefulness.

If you have paid the costs of cleaning and clearing up after a storm surge yourself, these costs are also compensated to a reasonable extent.

If you have any comments or questions regarding the statement, you must contact the loss adjuster.

Photos and documentation

It is a good idea to take photos as you go along, particularly if it is necessary to renovate, repair or dispose of ruined objects before the damage is inspected by a loss adjuster. This allows you to document the scope of the damage even if the loss adjuster cannot see the damage in person.

Excess

When you receive compensation from the storm surge scheme, an excess is always deducted from the compensation. The excess is typically higher than you are used to from your insurance policies. The excess

depends on what you are receiving compensation for. The excess for the various types of damage is as follows:

 

Movable property in private buildings

5 % of the total compensation, minimum DKK 5,000, maximum DKK 30,000.

Private buildings

5 % of the total compensation, minimum DKK 5,000, maximum DKK 30,000.

Holiday homes

10 % of the total compensation, minimum DKK 10,000, maximum DKK 50,000.

Commercial buildings

14 % of the total compensation, minimum DKK 14,000, no maximum.

 

You will be notified by your insurance company about whether you can receive compensation. Notification will be given when your insurance company has assessed all necessary information in the case from sources including you and the loss adjuster.

If you are entitled to compensation, you will also be notified of the size of the compensation. You may receive part of the compensation immediately. However, you will only receive the rest of the compensation when you have submitted documentation that your damage has been repaired. Your insurance company will be able to give you guidance on this.

If there have been many storm surge damage claims, a few months may well pass before your insurance company has decided whether you are entitled to compensation.

There are some losses/costs for which you will receive compensation:

  • Indirect loss, for example operating loss
  • Consequential damage, for example subsidence damage
  • Real estate and movable property, if you generally (for example with several insurance companies) have the option to take out insurance against damage caused by storm surge, i.e. also if you have not taken out such insurance in these special cases
  • Real estate and movable property, where you have an insurance policy that covers the damage
  • Movable property in basements and rooms below ground, unless the basement is approved for residential use (maximum DKK 120,000)
  • Soil
  • Salt damage to crops
  • Real property that is outside a dike
  • Dikes, coastal protection and any other form of protection against the water
  • Harbours, quays, wharfs, bathing jetties, etc.
  • Gardens and movable property located in gardens
  • Boats, dinghies and similar which are in the water or located on the shore or coastal protection or any other form of protection against the water
  • Trailers, caravans, trailer tents, containers, huts and similar and movable property located in them
  • Bathing huts and similar located on the shore or coastal protection or any other form of protection against the water
  • Kiosks, shops, sales outlets and similar businesses located on the shore or coastal protection or any other form of protection against the water
  • Movable property located on harbours, quays, the shore or coastal protection or any other form of protection against the water
  • Animals, except for animals farmed in aquaculture
  • Movable property that belongs to a business enterprise and is located in the enterprise's storage buildings or similar buildings, unless it is placed at least 10 cm above floor level or the ground

If your submitted claims are covered by the list above, your insurance company will reject your claim.

If you are unsure whether a claim may be covered by the negative list, contact your insurance company.

Before you can receive compensation for part of the damage caused by a storm surge, the damage must have been repaired. Here you can read more about how you can have the damage repaired.

You must ask for a quotation if you want to have a tradesman repair the damage. The quotation must correspond to the loss adjuster's description of the damage to be repaired. If the quotations you receive are considerably more expensive or cheaper than the amount fixed by the loss adjuster, you must contact your case officer before accepting the quotation.

Remember to keep all invoices from tradesmen. They are required if compensation is to be paid.

If you want to repair the damage yourself, you must tell the loss adjuster. This may be, for example, if you want to be responsible for clearing up and cleaning yourself.

If you carry out some of the work yourself, you must remember to keep receipts for purchases of materials. They are required as documentation when any compensation for the work is to be paid out.

In addition to the cost of materials, compensation is paid for DIY work at a rate of DKK 100 per hour, and you receive payment for 25 % more hours than a tradesman would have spent on the same work.

If, during repair, the damage turns out to be more extensive than was assessed in the loss adjuster's statement, you must contact your case officer at the insurance company, who will assess whether it is necessary to inspect your damage again.

When the loss adjuster's report has been completed, it is possible to rearrange the items if the rights holders of the property give their consent.

For example, if it turns out that the painting work is cheaper than assumed in the statement, you can transfer the amount to other work. Consequently, you can receive compensation for more expensive building materials than those that were damaged if you save money on other items in the damage statement. The compensation is based on the materials and building methods that are normally used at the time of the claim.

Contact your case officer at the insurance company if you are in doubt whether you are entitled to receive compensation.