Earthquake Damage Covered As Standard, Says Norwich Union UK's Largest Insurer

Following this week's earthquake, which measured 5.3 on the Richter scale and was the UK's biggest in 25 years, Norwich Union is urging home owners in affected areas to check their properties for any further damage and to be aware of any loose or unstable brick work or tiles.

Earthquakes are covered as standard in both contents and buildings insurance, so any damage or loss caused as a result of the quake can be dealt with by your insurer.

Jason Harris, senior claims manager at Norwich Union, said homeowners in affected areas should check this morning that their homes are secure and safe and call their home insurer when they can to report any damage.

"We have seen a number of claims coming in to our call centres over night, but we expect further calls today as damage will be more obvious in daylight. At the moment these are reports of mainly minor damage such as tiles off roofs, breakages inside the home and brick walls collapsing.

"We would advise anyone affected to check their property today, look out for any cracks in pipes or any loose cables and if they see anything unusual they should contact the relevant utility company or their insurer. For their own safety individuals should not touch or attempt to repair any fractured utility pipes or cables. Also they should look out for loose masonry or brickwork'