As the UK prepares for winter and Christmas, GoCompare Home Insurance is urging everyone to do some basic household maintenance checks, as well as thoroughly check the fine print on their contents and buildings insurance to ensure it is fit for purpose.
Winter brings storms, snow, ice and sometimes floods, and home insurance generally provides financial protection against damage to your home from these major events, but what happens if your boiler breaks down, or your freezer packs up and ruins all your Christmas food?
GoCompare Home insurance researched the number of insurance policies that cover incidents that could potentially leave homeowners out of pocket this festive season.
Getting ready for an emergency
As the nights draw in and the temperature drops, the one thing most homes can’t be without is a boiler and that’s where home emergency cover comes in handy. Home Emergency cover is slightly different to general home contents insurance, as it covers you for any sudden or urgent issues with the gas, electricity and water.
Blocked drains, boiler breakdowns and electrical failures will generally be covered under a home emergency policy, but as always with any product like this, it’s important to double check what you are covered for as policies vary.
This type of policy typically gives customers access to a 24-hour helpline providing a call-out service for emergency repairs by local trades people at an agreed call-out charge. It covers the costs of contractors’ call-out and labour charges and for parts and materials up to the sum insured.
Just 17 per cent of home contents insurance policies automatically include home emergency cover but 47 per cent offer this type of cover as an additional extra.
Christmas is coming
Around 83 per cent of home contents policies offer an increase in the amount it will pay out for contents cover for a month before and a month after Christmas, to cover extra gifts bought before and those presents that you have in the house afterwards.
Some offer a percentage increase, others specify the amount it increases the cover by, but it is available on most home contents policies as standard.
A festive freezer full
Christmas is a time when the home freezer gets a hammering, as we stock it up ready for the festive season. But what happens if there’s a power cut and your freezer contents get ruined, or it decides to give up the ghost a few weeks before the Big Day?
Thankfully 93 per cent of home contents policies cover freezer contents as standard, with 258 of those policies offering cover of £750 or more for the ruined food.
And if your freezer packs up, 336 of the 362 home contents policies on the market will cover it as standard, with 11 offering it as an optional extra.
Telly time
Christmas is also a time when most of us gather around the TV to watch our favourite seasonal specials or box sets, but if your TV gets damaged or broken in an accident, will your home contents insurance cover you?
The majority will, as 69 per cent of policies cover accidental damage to technology and entertainment systems as standard, with 105 offering it as an additional extra.
Visiting time
Many homes will be pleased to be opening their doors to friends and family again this winter, as a relaxation in restrictions means that visitors can stay for Christmas, but are their belongings covered by your home contents insurance should something happen?
Luckily 81 per cent of home contents policies do cover for the loss or damage of visitors’ personal effects, with 117 policies offering cover of £2500 or more.
Winter home maintenance
There are also ways in which you can help try and avoid calling on your home insurance this year and do some basic checks to get your home winter ready.
GoCompare Home insurance top winter tips
- Central heating - get a boiler service in line with manufacturer guidance (usually once a year) and check to see if radiators and thermostats are working efficiently
- Insulate loft spaces, water tanks, pipes, and outdoor taps
- If you have a wood burner or open fire, ensure the chimney is swept annually
- Maintain your home’s exterior - replace cracked windows, fix any leaks on the roof, etc
- Clear gutters of leaves and other debris and repair/replace any damaged sections of guttering
- Help garden buildings and structures weather the winter by repairing any damage, replacing rotten wood and securing hinges
- Protect any delicate plants against frost and ice
Ryan Fulthorpe, GoCompare’s home insurance expert said: “We can all rejoice that this Christmas will be a bit brighter than the last, as we are able to go out and about and see family and friends again. But that doesn’t mean we can forget the basics to get our house and home insurance ship shape ready for winter.
“Extreme weather conditions have become more commonplace in recent years, so knowing that you have the right cover in place if anything does go wrong can really put your mind at ease.”
Ryan added: “It’s worth spending some time getting your home winter ready as any damage that’s caused by wear and tear, or problems caused by a lack of maintenance are among the main reasons for insurers rejecting household claims.
“Home insurance provides financial protection against damage from major events like fires, storms, or floods,but it does not cover damage caused by day-to-day use or poor upkeep.”
For more information on home emergency cover visit the GoCompare website here.
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