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Overview
Storm Austen, the first named storm of the 2026/27 season, arrived on 23 October with an amber wind warning for Cornwall, Devon and the Isles of Scilly and a rain warning for southern and eastern Scotland, with Storm Boelo following over the weekend. Most storms pass with fallen branches and a few days of disruption. For the households whose homes take on water or lose part of a roof, the practical question arrives quickly: where do we live while it is fixed, and for how long?
This guide covers what alternative accommodation cover in UK home insurance usually pays for, how long people are typically out of their homes, the choice between insurer-arranged accommodation and a cash allowance, and how to find a furnished place that keeps children at the same school and adults within reach of work.
When a home counts as uninhabitable
Alternative accommodation cover is triggered when an insured event, such as a flood, fire, storm or subsidence, leaves the property unfit to live in. Insurers judge this, usually through their own surveyors or contractors. Typical reasons include an unsound structure, no running water, no safe electricity, or no usable bathroom or kitchen. Minor damage that does not stop you living normally is not enough.