Following the storm in The Riberac area in June 2022 many of my friends are still waiting for their insurance company to pay up. It seems the Companies are employing delaying tactics much to the frustration of their policyholders many of who are still living under tarpaulins to cover the roof. Those who were able to employ their own Expert to act in their own interests seem to have speeded things through to completion whereas others are still waiting for decisions. I always thought that following a storm you could employ your own expert and not rely on the Insurance companies expert who after all will be trying every trick in the book to minimise the claim. Unfortunately this was not classified as a catastrophe natural which it should have bee.
It would be interesting to know which Insurance Companies you are talking about…
Are you able to name them… ???
another interesting angle… why wasn’t this classification made… what reasons (if any) were given… ???
The helicopter view of le Tour yesterday showed many, many roofs in Riberac covered with blue tarpaulins. I didn’t realise there had been so much damage there in 2022. Sorry I can’t answer your question though.
@Aldy_77 Aldy
Perhaps there was another ghastly storm… but this one on 21 June 2022 has Riberac included in the declaration…
whatever, I do hope things get sorted asap… being without a roof is more than I care to imagine…
perhaps their Mairie is able to help/advise…
If you watch the TdF this afternoon, you will (probably) see a lot more plastic/tarp covered rooves between Gentioux and Felletin
I saw that too, but thought it was a local feature of some sort. Did the commentator explain? I was switching form ITV to France 3 and back again to avoid the adverts.
That’s a very good point Stella. This was the storm or Tornado which is a more accurate description. The Catastrophe Natural was declared for mud and flooding. 90% of the damage was caused by hail the size of golf balls. Mainly ruined crops for which farmers get nothing and roof damage.
I’m watching…!
I believe House Insurance Policy needs to include Multi-Risk … if the Owner wishes to claim under NCatastrophy.
and, each Householder would need to have made their NCat Claim within 10 days of the "Declaration of Natural Catastrophy " in August 2022 ??
It’s clear from tv reporting et al … that considerable damage was done to roofing and buildings, not just mud and flooding for farmers… so the roofing claims seem to be viable.
Thus, if folk have been left without the support/response to which they are truly entitled from their Insurance Company… (and your opening post does suggest this… )
I would suggest they speak with their Maire in the first instance… as the Maire will know/understand the paper-work routes to follow and also useful contacts for them to obtain aid/advice.
Having just taken a peek at my own Household Insurance policy…
Phew… it is clearly marked…
my policy includes…
- Catastrophes naturelles…
amongst other things… 
Every year these storms continue to wreak havoc… another request is being made for a classification of Catastrophe Naturelle… following today’s hailstorm.
But catastrophe natural did not apply to anything except mud and flooding. Not high winds, and hail. Besides under catastrophe natural the state underwrites the risk and the policyholder avoids paying the excess. The mayor had been no help!
It would be useful to know how many Households were adversely affected by that hailstorm at Riberac June 2022 …
If there was a significant number, it would seem that a Cat Naturelle is the obvious outcome and, on the face of it… I would have expected the Maire to make such a demand and follow things through…
If your friends feel that things are not being done correctly… by their Insurance Companies… perhaps they should take legal advice as to how to proceed/continue.
You say the Maire has been no help… so unless your friends wish to go to the Prefecture… I am unsure how this will play out.
Has anyone had a successful outcome… re getting their property repaired after that hailstorm…??? I know the Press reported that there were agricultural buildings which had been damaged… as well as domestic properties…
Is everyone still in limbo ???
Our cars were damaged in the Riberac storm of 2022 - it actually was far worse in Vanxain and travelled over to Riberac and beyond. Thankfully only the cars in our case - still cost us the excess on each of them. My repair bill was 4,500 euros, OH not sure as it was all via Pacifica.
2000 roofs in Riberac and up to 50 communes affected by the storm that night.
The majority of roofs have been repaired but there are still many with coverings, as was seen from the TDF helicopter shots.
The cat naturelle was refused by the prefecture. The reasons why no one can fathom. How do you challenge the Prefecture? In central Riberac almost 25% of roofs were damaged and in Vanxain it was mostly 100%
according to the link you posted… the private work not yet done is because Artisans/equipment/whatever is still awaited and might well take months/years…
Public buildings are also waiting… waiting… although I have no idea of their finances/insurances.
so it seems there’s simply too much work, with too few workers… sad situation all round… but I can’t see anyone complaining about Insurance Companies… ???
where has this come from …??
As a matter of interest… do your Friends have French Household Insurance Policies… as, having checked mine…
I am covered for damage to my property:
Fire or similar
Storm, Hail, Snow
Terrorism
Water damage
Theft, Vandalism
and the list goes on
so even without calling on Catastrophe Naturelle… I am covered.
but I do have to notify my Insurers within 5 days… to get the ball rolling so to speak…
I am wondering how things worked for your friends… ???
@Aldy_77
the light begins to dawn… and, yes, sorry.. it should have dawned a lot earlier today.. 
“The interministerial decree specifies that “damage caused by hail and strong winds are excluded from the “Natural Disasters” guarantee. They are covered by the “storm, snow and hail” guarantee of property damage insurance contracts” . In other words, since hail and storms are insurable, it is the private insurance of individuals who will have to cover damage to roofs and windows.”
(So what should be already covered by one’s Insurance.. does not come under Cat Nat!!
and if one does not have Insurance… then one ends up “out of pocket” and bearing all the costs oneself.)
Les dégâts de la grêle à la charge des assureurs privés
L’arrêté interministériel précise bien que “les dommages provoqués par la grêle et les vents violents sont exclus de la garantie « Catastrophes Naturelles ». Ils sont couverts par la garantie « tempête, neige et grêle » des contrats d’assurance dommages aux biens”. Autrement dit, vu que la grêle et la tempêtes sont assurables, ce sont les assurances privées des particuliers qui devront prendre en charge les dégâts sur les toitures et les fenêtres. Les dommages sur les récoltes des agriculteurs ne sont pas non plus pris en compte.
L’état de catastrophe naturelle a été mis en place par l’Etat en 1982. Il permet justement d’indemniser les sinistres qui ne sont pas pris en charge par les assureurs classiques. Les maisons touchées par des coulées de boue à l’entrée du bourg de Vanxains par exemple pourront prétendre à des indemnisations automatiques, à condition qu’elles aient souscrit une assurance multirisque habitation ou auto. L’Etat indemnisera les propriétaires par l’intermédiaire des banques. Les particuliers ont 10 jours pour déposer un dossier auprès de leur assurance à partir de la date de publication de l’arrêté.
EDIT: Mind you, even if one’s home is flooded with mud (eg at Vanxains) one must have a Fully-comprehensive House/Car Insurance … in order to claim automatic compensation for Catastrophe Naturelle … according to this Decree…
Thanks Stella for the research. That explains a lot and I will pass it on!
Incidentally… when I had storm/wind damage… just lost a few tiles… I contacted our Insurers, they said get a quote… which I did… they said “go ahead” and they paid the Enterprise concerned once the work was done…
but that was just a small job.
I don’t know how your friends organized their claims (obviously much greater value than mine) … but I do hope things turn out OK for them… asap.