ERGO's head of claims, Caterina Lepvalts, told ERR that the company had received 59 claims related to the Pärnu flooding by Tuesday morning.

"The vast majority are home insurance claims, while fewer vehicle damage claims have been registered so far," Lepvalts added.

She said the damage reported so far has been fairly similar, with basements, garages and the ground floors of buildings most commonly flooded. Water has also entered buildings through roofs, while in some cases flooding has been caused by water backing up through sewer systems.

"Both buildings and household property have been damaged," Lepvalts said.

As not everyone has yet reported their losses, Lepvalts said the total amount of damage is likely to increase.

Swedbank P&C Insurance had received around 100 claims by the end of the business day Monday, but Eivo Kisand, head of the company's risk insurance unit, noted that more continue to come in.

"It is still too early to assess the total amount of damage, as many cases are still being processed and damage assessments are ongoing," Kisand said. He added that processing may take longer than usual because claims handlers are dealing with a higher-than-normal number of cases at once.

If Kindlustus had also received 60 claims by Monday afternoon, with more continuing to come in. Lauri Nõu, the company's head of property claims, noted that the final number of claims could still change significantly. Of the claims received so far, 45 involved home insurance, 10 comprehensive vehicle insurance and five business insurance.

"Initial reports show that most claims concern water damage to homes. The most serious damage involves buildings where water remained for an extended period, affecting both the structures and technical systems," Nõu said, adding that it was too early to estimate the total cost of the damage. "With events like these, the full impact usually only becomes clear over a longer period."

Those who left windows open during the storm might miss out on compensation

Whether home insurance covers water damage caused by flooding depends on the policy, with each insurer's terms and conditions having their own nuances.

Nõu said If's home insurance includes coverage for flooding and rainwater entering a building by default in its three main packages. Flooding is defined as a situation in which water suddenly and temporarily inundates normally dry land. Whether it is caused by heavy rain, a storm, melting snow, rising water levels or a technical failure is not a determining factor.

"However, there are some important restrictions: A claim may not be covered if basic safety precautions have not been followed, for example, if windows or doors were left open during a warning for a severe storm or heavy rainfall," Nõu said.

Unauthorized building modifications may also not be covered by insurance.

Kisand confirmed that Swedbank home insurance policies cover damage caused by natural disasters, including risks associated with storms, hail and flooding.

"Customers therefore do not need to select separate additional coverage to be protected against flooding," he added. "In the event of flood damage, it is important for customers to report the damage as soon as possible and take reasonable steps to prevent further damage. For example, where possible, water that has entered a building should be pumped out, rooms should be dried, the damage should be photographed and a list of damaged property should be compiled."

Swedbank also recommends keeping all receipts and other documentation for expenses related to drying and mitigating the damage and submitting them as part of the claims process.

Accidents bring new customers

According to Lepvalts, ERGO customers also generally have coverage for flood-related damage, although she added that the exact scope of coverage is set out in each policy where customers can check which risks are covered.

All of the insurers said the flooding in Pärnu would likely bring them new customers.

"After major natural disasters, we typically see greater interest in insurance coverage as people become more acutely aware of the risks," Lepvalts said.

If's head of property claims said the company has already seen some increase in the number of new policies taken out.

"We recommend that all homeowners familiarize themselves thoroughly with their insurance terms and conditions to make sure they know the extent to which flood-related damage is covered," Nõu added.

A Swedbank representative said that while floods and other such events increase interest in home insurance, policies should also be reviewed regularly even when there have been no natural disasters to ensure that coverage amounts reflect the property's actual value and that coverage is sufficient for potential risks.

Heavy rain hit Pärnu on Friday morning, overwhelming the sewer system and flooding streets and roads across the city. Water also entered buildings. Rainfall totals exceeded 100 millimeters (3.9 inches), topping 120 millimeters (4.7 inches) in some areas.

The city had an emergency plan in place for flooding caused by rising sea levels, but not for flooding caused by rainfall.

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