Protecting your car during a severe weather warning

Severe weather warnings, especially red weather warnings, can cause dangerous conditions for car owners, both on the road and at home. While red warnings are rare, it’s important to take certain precautions to keep both you and your car safe.

Are you covered to drive during a red weather warning?

AXA car insurance covers you as normal during any severe weather warning. However, during a red weather warning, we recommend that you don’t make any unnecessary journeys.

Are you covered for storm damage under your car policy?

If you’re unsure about whether your car is covered for storm damage, you should review your policy cover and refer to your AXA policy booklet. Here are some useful tips to help protect your car from damage until the storm has passed:

1. Don’t make unnecessary journeys, and take extra care if you do need to drive.
2. If the road is flooded, do not drive through it, as surface water can be deeper than it appears.
3. Park your car in your garage.
4. If you don’t have a garage, park your car away from the risk of falling trees and power lines, if at all possible.
5. If you’re worried about debris, or loose items around your home affecting your car, please take the necessary steps to secure them, if safe to do so.
6. EV drivers – if you do need to use the car, ensure it is fully charged before the red weather warning comes into effect.

Preparing your car after a red weather warning

After any severe weather warning, it is essential you do a full inspection of your car to ensure there is no damage.

1. Remove any debris such as leaves and branches from your windscreen and windscreen wipers, and check for damage.
2. Check under your car bonnet for debris, to avoid any interference with the engine operation.
3. Check your tyres are properly inflated.
4. Test your brakes to ensure they are responsive.
5. Test that all the car’s exterior lights are fully functional.
6. Check for rain or flood damage inside the car.
7. If you need to drive your car, heed road closures, avoid flooded roads, and watch for debris like fallen trees or power lines that may obstruct your journey. Plan your route very carefully.

What to do if your car has been damaged by the storm?

If your car has been damaged by severe weather conditions, please document all the damage. If you need to make a claim, you can do so quickly and easily online, at axa.ie/claim/ or if you’d prefer, you can call our claims team on 0818 7 365 24.