Home contents insurance needed for winter weather
Households hoping to avoid claiming on their home insurance this winter should make sure that they take the necessary steps to avoid a boiler breakdown.
Freezing temperatures can cause pipes to burst and boilers to breakdown, leaving homeowners with no central heating to keep them warm this winter, and Confused.com has offered some advice.
It recommends clearing gutters and drains of any leaves to stop blockages, wrapping outside taps and pipes in insulation to avoid damage caused by water expansion and sweeping chimneys to reduce the risk of fire.
Home contents insurance policies will need to be kept in a safe place in case the worst does happen and providers need to be notified of all the details of the cover and the problem.
Darren Black, head of home insurance at Confused.com, said: "Winter is the time when all homeowners want to have nice and cosy homes to use for some respite from the cold and wet elements associated with winter.
"In order to create this warm, safe haven, essential checks need to be carried out - prevention is certainly better than cure when it comes to an emergency in the home."
Home contents insurance provider Halifax recently said that severe weather is set to continue in the UK and warned its customers to keep their belongings safe from damage.
Northern and western regions are the most at risk from flooding and strong winds, with households needing to take the steps necessary to avoid having to make a claim, the firm said.
Written by Kevin Shield
© Copyright
Related Articles
- UK consumers 'stubborn' over service providers - 5th January, 2010
Almost 20 million Britons decided against moving to a new provider of everyday financial services and utilities in 2009, it was claimed today (January 5th).
A new study by GoCompare.com has indicated that, despite the tough economic landscape, 41 per cent of consumers have not reacted by attempting to seek better deals... - Home contents insurance customers warned of single article limit - 27th November, 2009
A financial advice website has said that households could find themselves without the necessary home contents insurance to protect valuable items due to a clause that is often overlooked.
Lovemoney.com claimed that single article limits, which relates to items worth over a certain amount, usually £1,500 to £2,500, need to be listed on a separate home insurance policy in order to be covered against damage or theft... - Britons with central heating cover left waiting for Warm Front boiler replacements - 5th February, 2010
The Chartered Institute of Plumbing and Heating Engineering has expressed worries about the long waiting lists for Warm Front-funded boiler replacements.
Despite having central heating cover in place, some insurance customers are being left to wait for a replacement boiler for as long as 80 days, a new report has revealed... - Home mortgage overpayments scheme introduced by the Co-operative - 2nd December, 2009
With the Bank of England base rate resting at an all-time low, home mortgage customers should be taking the opportunity to pay off any expensive debt while they can, according to the Co-operative Bank.
The group has launched a new scheme which allows borrowers to go beyond the typical ten per cent limit for overpayments and offer up to 50 per cent more than scheduled bill amounts to mortgage lenders... - Claiming on home contents insurance 'not always best option' - 11th December, 2009
Although the cost of home contents insurance is supposed to allow customers to be able to claim back money on lost or damaged items, filing for a payout may not be the best idea in some situations.
That is according to financial website lovemoney.com, which suggested that insurers often have a 'three strikes' policy, which means that those who make three claims in as many years will be blacklisted by cover providers... - Home contents insurance needed for Christmas - 8th December, 2009
While cooking food, hosting parties and exchanging presents are the traditional way to celebrate Christmas, one firm has said that these activities could end up requiring a home contents insurance claim.
According to Aviva, the increasing trend of buying the latest gadgets as Christmas presents means that burglars may have their eyes on the pile of gifts under the tree this year... - Campaign launched to promote home contents insurance - 31st December, 2009
Home contents insurance customers are the target of a new campaign launched by the Home Office, it was confirmed yesterday (December 29th).
The government has announced that it will embark on an eight-week marketing drive to publicise how households can avoid becoming victims of domestic burglaries... - Check home contents insurance prices before renewal - 30th November, 2009
Home contents insurance customers who believe that remaining loyal to a particular provider will offer reduced premiums have been warned to shop around before their next renewal date comes up.
The Guardian reported that 83-year-old Maurice Henderson was left feeling confused after finding out that his £648-a-year home contents insurance policy from Royal Sun Alliance (RSA) was not as great a deal as it should have been... - Britons given key Xmas home insurance information - 21st December, 2009
Homeowners must ensure that their properties are fully covered to prevent this year's Christmas celebrations turning into a disaster, it was claimed today (December 21st).
MORETH>N Home Insurance revealed that it witnessed a substantial increase in the number of fire incidents reported by its customers on Christmas Day in 2008... - Winter claims rising rapidly, central heating cover customers are told - 14th January, 2010
Britons have made three times as many emergency home insurance claims during the winter compared to the summer months, it emerged today (January 14th).
In news which will be of concern to central heating cover customers, M&S Home Insurance claimed that the freezing conditions have led to a marked increase in incidents...