Finch was instructed directly by an Insurer to determine the extent of damage to scour protection at the Insured’s property and opine on the cost of reinstatement.
Certain parts of the UK were subjected to storm Desmond (the Storm) during December 2015. The Storm caused flooding and water levels to rise (the Flood) in Comb Beck (the Beck). The Insured’s property was situated on the south bank of the Beck.
The Flood caused significant movements of large boulders and erosion of soil on the banks of the Beck. These changes caused damage to the scour protection previously installed by the Insured. The boulder, rocks and soil had been washed away behind the scour protection and below the garden stone wall.
A structural engineering company costed the repair to the scour protection to the Insured’s property to be just under £100,000. However, upon closer investigation of their proposal it transpired that their proposal did not factor in the requirement for the intended protection to the foundation of the proposed wall that would run across other properties in the affected areas as part of a larger structural solution proposed for several properties in the affected area.
After detailed review of the incident area, Finch deduced that the Insured’s property was not at risk and the repair costs to reinstate the property to a pre-loss condition would be in the region of £5,000-£6,000.
