Those whose homes were damaged should now lodge
catastrophe naturelle insurance claims with their home insurers. They should make contact with them as a matter of urgency, giving information on the loss, if possible accompanied by photos.
Once the status has been declared, policy holders have a limited window to start their claim – 10 days from publication in the Journal Officiel – although insurers recommend you do not wait for the declaration and instead lodge the claim as soon as you become aware of damage, even if the payout will have to wait until the decree is published. The French federation of insurance companies FFSA states 10 days refers to calendar days starting from the day after the incident.