Record storm causes millions in damage; insurers flooded with claims

A severe storm that swept through Lithuania over the weekend has resulted in extensive damage, prompting a surge in insurance claims. Laimonas Garbenčius, head of the Client Service and Claims Administration Department at Swedbank Insurance, reported that the number of damage notifications received was more than eight times higher than during a typical summer weekend.

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Over the weekend, a powerful storm raged across Lithuania, and we recorded more than an eightfold increase in damage reports compared to a typical summer weekend. Residents report winds tearing off or breaking roofs, as well as fences and house facades damaged by fallen trees and destroyed greenhouses. The total preliminary sum of damages caused by the weekend storm already exceeds 1 million euros, but we predict that once all damages are registered, it will be significantly higher.

Residents have reported a range of damages, including roofs being torn off or broken, fences and house facades damaged by fallen trees, and greenhouses destroyed. The preliminary estimated cost of the damage caused by the weekend storm already exceeds 1 million euros. Garbenčius anticipates that the final sum will be significantly higher once all claims are officially registered.

By Monday morning, Swedbank had received nearly 1,000 customer reports, with new claims continuing to arrive at a rate of about 100 per hour. Garbenčius noted that the high volume of claims might lead to longer processing times than usual. He advised those affected to document damages thoroughly with photographs and to preserve all expense-related documents.

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By Monday morning, we had received almost 1000 customer reports, and new ones are still coming in. About 100 new claims are registered within a couple of hours.

Garbenčius also pointed out that if power outages caused by the storm lead to additional damage, such as spoiled food in refrigerators or water damage from melting freezers, homeowner's insurance might cover these losses. The impact of this recent storm is considered more severe than the one experienced in early August, which primarily affected the Vilnius region.

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If power outages cause additional damage, for example, if food stored in the refrigerator spoils, or water from a melting freezer damages floors or furniture, homeowner's insurance may compensate for the losses incurred.