homeinsurance Archives - AIB Insurance

Winter is upon us and we have already seen temperatures fall below freezing on occasions here in the UK. Therefore, perhaps it is an appropriate time to mention about protecting your household pipes against the cold weather.

According to information published by the Association of British Insurers (ABI), you may find it rather concerning to read that the average amount of a burst pipe insurance claim due to adverse weather conditions exceeded £10,000 in 2018. This is a sizeable sum and a claim of such magnitude has no doubt caused a significant amount of damage whether it is to property, contents or both never mind the potential distress and upheaval to the owners of the premises.

The ABI has very kindly made some recommendations as to what action you can take to lower the possibility of your pipes getting frozen over the winter period: –

If you have one or more taps that drip when turned off get them repaired.
Check in the loft that any water tanks and water pipes are suitably insulated.
Make sure your heating is set to come on periodically even if you are away for a short break.
Make sure that you are familiar with where your stopcock is situated in your home.

If a pipe freezes then you should take the following action according to the ABI: –

Any contents such as clothes and furniture should be moved away from the pipes just in case one of the pipes bursts.
Do not try to remove ice using the likes of a blow torch or a hammer as this may damage the pipework even more.
Turn off the mains water at the stopcock until the pipes have defrosted.

If a pipe bursts, according to the ABI, you should: –

Remove any possessions to a safe place.
Turn off the stopcock, drain the water supply by turning on the taps, and turn off the water heating and central heating.

In the unfortunate event that you do suffer water damage, get in touch with your insurer as soon as possible.

With winter quickly approaching, the Association Of British Insurers (ABI) is recommending that both owners of homes and businesses make sure that there properties are in a good state of repair. This should help reduce the number of claims being made by people on their buildings and contents insurance policies here in the UK.

Apparently, on a daily basis, insurance companies pay out in the region of £14.3 million to owners of homes and businesses to meet claims from people in respect of replacing damaged content and carry out repairs due to adverse weather conditions resulting in properties suffering burst pipes and floods.

You may find the following suggestions made by the ABI of benefit to help ensure that your property is better able to cope with the ravages of winter: –

Arrange for your roof on your home or business premises to be checked to make sure that it is watertight and that there are definitely no loose or missing roof tiles. This sort of job is best left to a professional for safety reasons.
Find out where the stopcock is in the property and that it is working correctly.
Make sure that the gutters are free of debris and that they are not overflowing due to their being a blockage.
Check that the smoke alarm is working correctly.
Make sure that there are no visible damp patches in your property such as damage to a ceiling.
Make sure that water tanks in the loft and pipes are insulated.

Whilst it is not a legal requirement to have building and contents insurance in place covering your home and/or business premises as well as the contents and plant/machinery in them, it is a sensible course of action so that you can claim on such a policy when necessary.

In this respect, why not get in touch with a member of our team who has many years experience in arranging suitable, affordable cover who will be pleased to discuss your requirements and arrange for you to receive a competitive quotation without any obligation.