Cambridge sits on exposed fenland terrain where storms hit hard. If your roof has been damaged, here's exactly what to do — step by step — to protect your home and your insurance claim.
If a storm damages your Cambridge roof, first stay safe and move valuables from any leak. Photograph the damage from ground level for your insurer, place buckets under drips, and call a roofer for emergency make-safe work. Report the claim within 24 hours to strengthen it.
Do not go onto the roof. Do not attempt to climb a ladder in storm conditions. Fallen tiles, wet surfaces and high winds make roof access extremely dangerous. Stay inside and assess the damage from ground level or through loft hatch access. If water is entering the property, place buckets under active leaks and move valuables and electronics away from damp areas.
Under the Association of British Insurers (ABI) guidance, storm damage claims are typically valid where wind speeds have exceeded 55 mph — Met Office weather records for the date of damage are commonly used as supporting evidence for Cambridge roof insurance claims.
Source: ABI storm damage guidance
Before any temporary repairs are made, photograph everything you can see — from outside (damaged tiles, fallen debris, missing ridge tiles) and from inside (water stains, damp patches, loft damage). These photos are essential for your insurance claim. Note the date, time and weather conditions. If neighbours' properties are also damaged, note that too — it demonstrates the storm event affected the area, not just your property.
Call a local roofer who offers emergency make-safe work — not a national claims management company. Local Cambridge roofers like us respond faster, charge less and aren't incentivised to inflate claims. Emergency make-safe typically costs £150–£400 and involves temporary weatherproofing to stop water entry while a permanent repair is planned. Call 0122 366 6465 — we respond 24/7.
Call your home insurance provider within 24 hours of the damage. Most policies cover storm damage to roofs. You'll need: your policy number, date and time of the damage, description of what happened, photos of the damage, and the make-safe invoice from your roofer. Keep all receipts. Your insurer may send a loss adjuster to inspect — keep the temporary repairs in place until they've visited.
Once the make-safe is done and the insurance process is underway, get at least two quotes for the permanent repair. Your insurer may have preferred contractors but you're not obliged to use them. A local Cambridge roofer who knows the housing stock will often provide better value and faster completion than a national insurance repair firm.
The most common storm damage we see across Cambridge is: tiles blown off on the exposed estates at King's Hedges and Arbury where nail sickness has weakened fixings, ridge tiles dislodged on properties across the city where mortar has deteriorated, lead flashings peeled back by wind on Victorian chimney stacks in Romsey Town and Petersfield, and fallen tree branches punching through roof tiles in the tree-lined streets of Newnham and Chesterton.
Insurance companies sometimes argue that storm damage was actually pre-existing maintenance failure — which isn't covered. Counter this by documenting the weather event (Met Office records, local news reports, neighbour damage) and having your roofer's written assessment confirming the damage pattern is consistent with storm impact rather than gradual deterioration. A competent roofer can distinguish between a tile blown off by wind and a tile that slipped due to nail failure.
Keep every receipt — the make-safe invoice, the permanent repair quote, any temporary accommodation costs. Most policies have a 30-day window for reporting claims, but reporting within 24 hours demonstrates you acted promptly to mitigate damage, which strengthens your claim. If your insurer's loss adjuster disputes the damage extent, you're entitled to appoint your own surveyor for a second opinion.
The best protection against storm damage is regular maintenance. Annual roof inspections catch loose tiles, crumbling mortar and deteriorating flashings before a storm turns them into emergencies. Dry fix ridge systems eliminate mortar failure — the primary cause of ridge tile blow-offs across Cambridge's estates. Gutter clearing prevents water backup that causes secondary damage during storms. A £200 annual maintenance visit can prevent a £2,000 emergency call-out.
The best time to storm-proof your roof is before the storm arrives. Dry fix ridge systems are the single most effective upgrade — mortar-bedded ridges are the primary casualty of high winds across Cambridge's estates, and dry fix ridges are mechanically secured to resist wind loads that would strip mortar ridges clean off. Re-nailing tiles affected by nail sickness removes the other major vulnerability — unsecured tiles that slide off in moderate gusts. Annual maintenance visits identify weak points before they become emergency call-outs. A £200 preventive visit in September can save you a £2,000 emergency repair in December. For Cambridge properties on exposed edges of estates — end of terrace, corner plots, properties facing open ground — storm resilience isn't optional, it's essential.
If this guide has raised questions about your own roof, we are happy to help. We offer free, no-obligation roof inspections across Cambridge and surrounding areas — Ely, Huntingdon, Newmarket, Royston, St Ives and all villages in between. We inspect the roof in person, check the loft space, assess the timber condition and give you a written report with honest recommendations. Whether you need a minor repair, a full replacement, or just peace of mind that your roof is sound, call 0122 366 6465 or visit any of our service pages to learn more about how we can help. We have been looking after Cambridge roofs since 2003 and we would be pleased to look after yours.
Need Expert Roofing Advice? Call Cambridge's Trusted Roofers
0122 366 6465"Storm took out six tiles and the ridge. They were with us within three hours, made it safe, and gave us everything we needed for the insurance claim — photos, report, invoice. Claim went through without a hitch."
"Tree branch through the roof during the January storms. Emergency make-safe that night, permanent repair the following week. They dealt with the insurance company directly. Couldn't have been smoother."
"Multiple tiles blown off. They responded faster than the insurance helpline. Made it safe, documented everything and even wrote a report for our insurer. Above and beyond."
Stay safe, move valuables from any leak, place buckets under drips, and photograph the damage from ground level. Then call a roofer for emergency make-safe work.
Most home insurance covers storm damage where wind speeds exceeded around 55 mph. Photograph the damage and report the claim within 24 hours.
Yes. We respond to Cambridge storm emergencies 24/7, usually within 2–4 hours, with no call-out fee — you only pay for work done.
For genuine emergencies across Cambridge, we aim to be on site within 2–4 hours to stop water entry and secure the roof.
Yes. We photograph and document Cambridge storm damage and can provide a written assessment to support your insurance claim.
Annual maintenance, dry-fix ridge systems and re-nailing loose tiles greatly reduce storm vulnerability on exposed Cambridge properties.
No call-out fees. No obligation. Just an honest quote from a local Cambridge roofer who'll turn up when they say they will.
0122 366 6465Last reviewed: 19 July 2026 by Cambridge Roofing Experts.