Weather the Storms with Home Insurance
With a harsh winter predicted it’s important to cover up with suitable home insurance. However, now is also the time for property owners to give their homes a health check so that a home insurance claim is not necessary.
"It won’t happen to my house," is the usual statement when we watch the news and see homes battered by bad weather. However, according to one home insurance provider if you don’t take suitable precautions it could very well be you next.
A harsh winter is on the cards in the UK with meteorologists predicting high winds and freezing temperatures. Last year Halifax home insurance handled more than 30,000 windstorm damage claims totaling more than £17million to fix while burst and frozen pipes accounted for 20,000 claims and more than £43 million to put right.
The average burst and freezing pipe claim costs £2,000 to fix with the average windstorm damage claim costing £600 to solve. With the global economic crisis taking a bite out of most of our incomes, few of us could afford to cover these costs on our own, which is why home insurance is paramount during the winter months.
In case you think it won’t happen in your area then Halifax’s list of the top 10 regions for burst pipe claims and the top 10 regions for storm damage in 2007 suggests differently. As you can see from the lists below, the areas are scattered across the UK with no specific region appearing safe from making a claim:
Top 10 regions for burst pipe claims in 2007:
Most home insurance policies cover the majority of weather-related eventualities but you should check the terms and conditions of your policy to ensure you are covered whatever the weather. For example, some home insurers may cover you against storm and flood damage but may not cover specific events such as falling trees.
Also look for a policy with home emergency cover. Several home insurers offer a service that guarantees an approved trades person will be sent to your home within 24hrs to make the home safe following an insured event such as a burst pipe or a broken boiler. Check too that your home insurance includes a 24/7 helpline so you can contact the provider straight away should anything go wrong.
How can you avoid weather-related home insurance claims?
There are a number of precautions that homeowners can take to reduce their risk of making a claim.
Before the weather gets bad, check the outside of your property. In particular, look at the condition of the roof and check to see whether there are any cracked or broken tiles, cracks in the chimney or problems with the pointing. If any work is required, hire a professional as soon as possible as failing to keep your home in good condition could risk invalidating a home insurance claim.
Keep the gutters clear and make sure the drain pipes are not blocked by any leaves or debris to reduce the risk of overflows. Make sure that any loose items you have in your garden – such as garden furniture – are either put away or secured so they can’t cause damage if they are picked up in high winds. Keep gates and outbuilding doors fastened securely and check external light fittings are secure. You should also cut back any low hanging branches that could cause damage in high winds.
From there, check out the inside of your property. Have your boiler serviced at least once a year by a CORGI registered gas professional and have the central heating and gas fires checked to ensure they are working efficiently and safely. Take a trip to the loft to ensure it is suitably ventilated and insulated and consider putting up thicker curtains to keep the heat in your home. It’s best to keep the central heating set to at least 10 degrees to reduce the risk of pipes freezing.
Just in case the worst does happen, listen to the radio for regular updates on weather and other emergency situations. It’s also worth getting a report from the internet or a local newspaper confirming that there was bad weather in the area in case a home insurance company does not know about it. Remember too, to keep an emergency home kit on standby with items such as a torch, spare bulbs, tinned food, warm clothing, blankets, a shovel and your home insurance documents.
A harsh winter is on the cards in the UK with meteorologists predicting high winds and freezing temperatures. Last year Halifax home insurance handled more than 30,000 windstorm damage claims totaling more than £17million to fix while burst and frozen pipes accounted for 20,000 claims and more than £43 million to put right.
The average burst and freezing pipe claim costs £2,000 to fix with the average windstorm damage claim costing £600 to solve. With the global economic crisis taking a bite out of most of our incomes, few of us could afford to cover these costs on our own, which is why home insurance is paramount during the winter months.
In case you think it won’t happen in your area then Halifax’s list of the top 10 regions for burst pipe claims and the top 10 regions for storm damage in 2007 suggests differently. As you can see from the lists below, the areas are scattered across the UK with no specific region appearing safe from making a claim:
Top 10 regions for burst pipe claims in 2007:
- Glasgow
- Edinburgh
- Merseyside
- Barnsley
- Manchester
- Leeds
- Newcastle
- Harrow, Uxbridge and Wembley
- Bolton and Wigan
- Romford
- Merseyside
- Barnsley
- Bolton and Wigan
- Manchester
- Glasgow
- Warrington
- Wakefield
- Bradford
- Sheffield
- Wirral and Chester
Most home insurance policies cover the majority of weather-related eventualities but you should check the terms and conditions of your policy to ensure you are covered whatever the weather. For example, some home insurers may cover you against storm and flood damage but may not cover specific events such as falling trees.
Also look for a policy with home emergency cover. Several home insurers offer a service that guarantees an approved trades person will be sent to your home within 24hrs to make the home safe following an insured event such as a burst pipe or a broken boiler. Check too that your home insurance includes a 24/7 helpline so you can contact the provider straight away should anything go wrong.
How can you avoid weather-related home insurance claims?
There are a number of precautions that homeowners can take to reduce their risk of making a claim.
Before the weather gets bad, check the outside of your property. In particular, look at the condition of the roof and check to see whether there are any cracked or broken tiles, cracks in the chimney or problems with the pointing. If any work is required, hire a professional as soon as possible as failing to keep your home in good condition could risk invalidating a home insurance claim.
Keep the gutters clear and make sure the drain pipes are not blocked by any leaves or debris to reduce the risk of overflows. Make sure that any loose items you have in your garden – such as garden furniture – are either put away or secured so they can’t cause damage if they are picked up in high winds. Keep gates and outbuilding doors fastened securely and check external light fittings are secure. You should also cut back any low hanging branches that could cause damage in high winds.
From there, check out the inside of your property. Have your boiler serviced at least once a year by a CORGI registered gas professional and have the central heating and gas fires checked to ensure they are working efficiently and safely. Take a trip to the loft to ensure it is suitably ventilated and insulated and consider putting up thicker curtains to keep the heat in your home. It’s best to keep the central heating set to at least 10 degrees to reduce the risk of pipes freezing.
Just in case the worst does happen, listen to the radio for regular updates on weather and other emergency situations. It’s also worth getting a report from the internet or a local newspaper confirming that there was bad weather in the area in case a home insurance company does not know about it. Remember too, to keep an emergency home kit on standby with items such as a torch, spare bulbs, tinned food, warm clothing, blankets, a shovel and your home insurance documents.
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