More than 200 claims after storm Louis, insurers say

More than 200 people have filed claims for compensation after storm Louis hit the Netherlands on Thursday, insurers Interpolis, Univé and Nationale Nederlanden (NN) announced on Friday. The strong gusts of wind caused damage to roof tiles, facades and cars.

Interpolis had received 198 damage reports on Friday morning, a spokeswoman said. Most people reported damage to their homes, such as broken fences or damage to roof tiles. To a lesser extent, damaged cars were also reported, for example, because a branch had landed on them, the insurer explained.

According to the insurer's spokesperson from Tilburg, most of the reports came from Zuid-Holland. However, people in Gelderland and Noord-Brabant were also affected by the strong gusts of wind that storm Louis brought with him. The number of claims was comparable to other storms this year, the spokesperson claimed.

Insurer Univé announced that the counter stood at 64 reports, most of which came from Limburg and the eastern part of Brabant. This is also where most of the damage to houses was reported, according to a spokesperson. Overall, people suffered from leaks, toppled fences, detached solar panels, damaged garden furniture and a single damaged trampoline. In total, the damage reported so far has amounted to around 80,000 euros, Univé reported. This is relatively little compared to other storms, according to the spokesperson.

At NN, the damage is "not very bad", says a spokesperson. This insurer also includes OHRA and the insurance branches of ING and SNS. Each of these brands has received a "handful of reports" of damage to houses or cars, a spokesperson said.

Louis is the fifth storm to hit the Netherlands this season, following Pia, Gerrit, Henk, Isha, and Jocelyn.