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THE OFFICIAL DECLARATION UNLOCKS ‘EXTRA’ INSURANCE. HERE IS HOW TO CLAIM A state of natural disaster (catastrophe naturelle) is to be declared in the Var after devastating storms wreaked

havoc and killed at least three people last week. The badly-hit town of Lavandou is to officially have the status declared by decree on May 28. Minister for Urban Affairs Juliette Méadel

visited the commune on May 23. Her aim was partly to enable a fast repair of the damage suffered by the town. She said: “We are all here to face up to a natural disaster. The state has moved

fast…the natural disaster status will be declared on May 28.” Fierce storms and heavy rain battered the department from May 20 to 21, leading to the deaths of at least three people in the

communes of Lavandou and Vidauban. Read also: ‘Cataclysmic scenes’ in Var as roads and homes destroyed by violent storms The worst-hit area around the Lavandou commune saw over 250 mm of

rain fall within a few hours – about the same that typically falls in a three-month period. The mayor of Lavandou, Gil Bernardi, said on May 21 that he estimated the damage to equal “tens of

millions of euros,” to local media France 3. WHAT DOES A ‘NATURAL DISASTER’ DECLARATION MEAN? A state declaration of catastrophe naturelle is typically called for by the local mairie after

severe storms or weather damage, because it unlocks specific insurance clauses in holders’ policies. Natural disaster insurance is included in multi-risk home/buildings insurance policies

(assurance multirisques habitation), which are held by the vast majority of homeowners in France. It is paid for by a separate, national fund. In fact, insurers cannot refuse to include

natural disaster coverage in your plan. If they do, you can appeal to the Bureau Central de Tarification (BCT). This specific compensation covers serious weather events such as earthquakes,

floods and landslides and can only be granted after the government has officially declared the status to an affected region. The status must be officially declared in a decree published in

the Journal Officiel. The decree will specify exactly which communes and zones are affected by the natural disaster, the period of time in which the disaster took place, and the damage it

caused.  HOW CAN I CLAIM FOR DAMAGE? If you wish to claim for damage under the catastrophe naturelle clause, you must wait until the order has been published in the Journal Officiel. From

that date, you have 30 days to file a claim with your insurer. There is no extension of the deadline for second-home owners, but some second-home insurance policies will allow for an expert

to visit your property and assess the damage if you were away when the event occurred. Read also: Can I be certain I am insured against flooding at French second home? Read more: How do I

make insurance claim after weather damage to French home? You can make a claim by phone call, email or text. You should also confirm the claim with the insurance company by registered mail

with acknowledgement of receipt (lettre recommandée avec accusé de réception). Your letter should include the following elements: * Your full name and address * Insurance contract number *

Description of the loss (nature, date, time, place) * A list of all lost or damaged objects, with documents proving the existence and value of the goods (e.g. invoices, photographs) * Damage

to third parties (e.g. if a tree on your property has fallen and caused damage to a neighbour's house) When documenting the damage to your property, consider pictures that offer an

overview of the damage, and then photograph each piece of furniture individually. You should also keep any damaged objects for which you are claiming so that they can be examined by the

insurer, if necessary. If you are intending to repair the damage to your property yourself, you should keep all the invoices you receive when purchasing materials. Note that indirect costs,

such as rehousing and loss of earnings, are not necessarily included in natural disaster coverage unless this is specified elsewhere in your insurance contract. TIMEFRAME FOR COMPENSATION

You should be compensated within three months of your claim.