The passage of Storm Bernard through the Peninsula is having a significant impact on various autonomous communities. In Andalusia, heavy rains, accompanied by intense winds, left a trail of destruction in their path last weekend. Among the most notable incidents is the fall of a tree on several cars parked in a public parking lot in the town of Jerez de la Frontera (Cádiz).
In a video published on Fortunately, at the time of impact there were no people next to the cars or inside them, so there were no human injuries.
The parked vehicles suffered structural damage due to the strong impact caused by the falling tree. Broken windshields, dents in roofs and hoods, and possible mechanical problems are some of the obvious consequences of the incident.
The video scene, which has gone viral on social networks, is a reminder of the vulnerability of vehicles to adverse weather situations, as we have already seen in other previous episodes such as the Filomena storm that was unleashed on some communities in the month of January 2021.
As a general rule, automobile insurance policies do not provide protection for damage caused by natural phenomena, such as falling trees. In some specific cases, such as hail, there are already some insurers that are beginning to implement it as part of the main coverage.
When the insurance does not include damages caused by extraordinary risks, these are covered by the Insurance Compensation Consortium (CCS) of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Digital Transformation, through the General Directorate of Insurance and Pension Funds.
The Consortium is financed through a system of financial contributions that come from different sources. All insurance policies, including those related to motor vehicles, have an additional cost that is allocated to the CCS fund to cover compensation in the event of catastrophic events. This ensures that victims of a home and vehicle accident receive the necessary help in the event of “extraordinary risk.”
For a fact to be considered an extraordinary event or phenomenon, it must be accredited by the competent official bodies. Article 6 of the Legal Statute of the Insurance Compensation Consortium includes as extraordinary events those caused by terrorism, riot or popular tumult. It also covers natural phenomena such as earthquakes or tidal waves, extraordinary floods, volcanic eruptions, atypical cyclonic storms and the fall of sidereal bodies and aerolites.
Likewise, it compensates for damages caused to people and property as a consequence of events or actions of the Armed Forces or the Security Forces and Corps in times of peace.
However, the regulations also contemplate a series of exceptions that render compensation by the Consortium void. One of them refers to the strength of the wind, and in this case it only covers damage caused by “tornadoes and winds with gusts exceeding 120 km/h.”
The Consortium indicates that damage caused by wind gusts of less than 120 km/h is not covered by its compensation policy. In this case - they point out in a telephone conversation with Moveo - the damages will only be covered by private insurers in the event that it is included in the policy. If not, you can contact the city council to find out if it has opened a help line for those affected.
The City Council of Córdoba, for example, will allocate 1.6 million euros to cover the damage caused by Storm Bernad as it passed through the city last weekend, as reported this Monday by the mayor of the Andalusian capital, José María. Bellido.
