What websites do insurance companies use to check past weather conditions?

[Patrooshka]

Does anyone know of a website where I can check the weather conditions in a particular area on a particular date? Most of them do not seem to carry old information. I'm having a dispute with my insurance company about storm damage - they say "a website" showed no adverse condictions in my area on the date in question but won't state the website.
Thank you in anticipation.

[alison123]

We have had the exact same problem in the past with an Insurance Company (seems to be a way of them getting out of paying a claim). We contacted the local weather station and asked if they could provide us with a past weather prediction. They said however that as they could not guarantee their predictions that it would be no good to the Insurance Company. I then had the idea to speak with neighbours/other houses in the area etc as it had been a bad storm and they had tiles etc needing replacing. I managed to get several different companies to write me a letter confirming that they were carrying out storm damage work on property and i also got the names of the Insurance Companies that were dealing with the householders claims. I know it seems a lot of work to do but i was really annoyed that they said there was no weather conditions on that particular evening that caused the damage when i knew for a fact that there was and lots of neighbours/close by houses suffered the same damage. They reluctanly did pay out in the end as they were more than proved wrong. Dont let the issue drop, they too easily use this excuse. Good luck and hope this helps somewhat

[alison123]

Hi again, just found this, it may be of some help also

If you also try :-

www.metoffice.gov.uk/education/archive/uk

Click on the date, then the time and it gives a list of locations along with wind/visibility/temp/pressure/weather etc.

Good Luck :~)

[jno]

try your local paper, they may have editions from the time of the weather in question; your library may also stock them.

[Buenchico]

To the best of my knowledge, the type of detailed data you're looking for is not available (free of charge) to the general public. Insurance companies will use subscription-based web services to get detailed historic meteorological data from, say, the Met Office.

You could try contact the Met Office directly, to see if they can provide the information you require:
http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/corporate/contact/ contact.html

However, the best way to check the weather for a certain date might be to go to your local library. They should have the newspapers showing the forecast for the relevant day. Further, some local and regional newspapers also summarise the weather which has just gone. (If you can't find a written summary, look for weather maps showing the isobars close together, indicating strong winds).

Chris

PS: For a day by day summary of the key points of the weather, across the UK, (including some notes about flooding and storms), click on the relevant year in the right-hand panel here:
http://www.met.reading.ac.uk/~brugge/diary.htm l

[Patrooshka]

Many thanks for your replies, they were all very helpful and my battle with the insurance company will continue!