Burst pipe home insurance claims on the rise

The coldest winter to be seen in 100 years is leading to an increase in home insurance claims for burst pipes, one firm has revealed.

According to figures from Halifax, burst pipes and the resulting damage now account for one-sixth of household claims being made.

And with further wintry weather ahead, the firm is urging consumers to take action now to avoid falling victim to the snow and ice.

Senior claims manager Martyn Foulds warned consumers that the average cost of repairing the damage caused by a burst pipe is £2,000.

"It is worth ensuring the home is properly insured, taking steps to prevent frozen pipes, making sure you have adequate insurance in place and also knowing what to do to limit damage if a pipe does burst," he commented.

Halifax suggests that Britons take action to protect their properties form the likelihood of such events, which occur when water freezes and expands.

Consumers should leave their heating on low if leaving their property empty for some time during winter and make use of their boiler's frost protection thermostat if they have one, the firm urges.

In the event that a pipe does burst, householders are advised to turn off the mains water supply, drain the water system and contact their cover provider to make a claim.

According to the Met Office, the bad weather is likely to last until at least the middle of the month, potentially resulting in a rise not only in home cover claims, but also in car insurance claims, as many vehicles fail in the cold conditions.

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The views expressed within the article are entirely those of Adfero Ltd and are not those of the BGL Group