Insurer Direct Line says the total claims bill for damage from February's storms could reach £40m. It said it had helped more than 10,000 customers after Dudley, Eunice and Franklin battered the UK last month.
An early estimate projects claims reaching between £30m and £40m for storm damage, the company said. More than one million homes were left without power in the immediate aftermath, while roads and railways saw travel chaos amid widespread damage.
The details of the storm impact came as Direct Line reported a 1.2 per cent drop in pre-tax profits to £446 million for 2021 as it said it faced a "challenging market, impacted by the pandemic". Operating profits lifted 11.4% to £581.8 million last year.
