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Top Tips for Avoiding Home Insurance Claims Bad weather, dark nights and Christmas festivities make winter one of the peak periods for home insurance claims. So how can you reduce your risk of making a claim and keep your home insurance premium low? It’s easy to get wrapped up in all things Christmas – from uniting with family and friends to rushing around the shops gathering those last minute gifts. However, if you want your Christmas to run smoothly then it’s worth taking some time out to pay attention to your home insurance. The winter months are packed with potential threats to your home and as a result home insurance claims typically surge over this period. Whether its claims for stolen Christmas presents from the home, burst or frozen pipes, fire damage or the affects of some severe weather these is a high-risk period and few of us can afford to pay for the cost of damages ourselves. Consequently home insurance is vital and property owners are well-advised to take a look at their policies, ensure they are up to date with all new home contents included and if necessary shop around for a more comprehensive deal as quickly as possible. However, while it’s important to have home insurance on hand ‘just in case’ it’s always best to avoid making a claim so you don’t wipe out a no-claims discount. So how can you protect yourself against these winter dangers? We’ll give you our top three tips for each winter danger. Protect yourself against home insurance theft claims Typically there is a surge in home burglaries during the winter months as thieves target houses filled with presents and look to capitalize on the darker nights. Here are three tips to keep your home safe from burglars: Keep presents out of sight – Don’t advertise your possessions by leaving them under a tree in the window. Instead keep them locked in cupboards until the big day. |
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Plan for going out – Ask a neighbor or friend to check your home if you’re away for an extended period. If you’re just out for the night leave a light on and the radio playing to give the impression someone is home. Install security devices – Invest in products such as burglar alarms, security lighting, security cameras and time-switch lights which will act as a deterrent to thieves and could earn you a discount with an insurer. Protect yourself against winter weather home insurance claims There were more than 30,000 windstorm damage claims to insurer Halifax alone last year, along with 20,000 frozen pipe claims. With meteorologists predicting more bad weather here are three tips for your home: Give your home an MOT – Check the gutters, drains and air bricks to ensure they are clear of blockages from leaves, etc. Check your roof for signs of weakness and replace any broken roof tiles. Cut back any low hanging branches on trees and invest money in annually servicing your central heating and boiler system to avoid failure when they are needed the most. Avoid frozen pipes – Leave the heating on for short periods throughout the day, open doors to sink units to allow warmer air to circulate and consider fitting a lagging jacket on your boiler. Invest in home emergency cover – Many home insurers now offer home emergency cover for an additional premium alongside their standard policies. This should guarantee that a reputable tradesman will be on hand to fix any problems as soon as they occur. Protect yourself against fire-related home insurance claims The number of homes expected to be damaged by fire is expected to rise by more than 300 per cent on Christmas Day according to More Than home insurance. Most Christmas fires are caused by ovens or candles catching light to something nearby. Here are our top three tips for avoiding home insurance claims: Watch your Christmas lights – Don’t leave tree lights on when you go out for a while as they could easily catch fire. Also remember to turn your Christmas lights off overnight to avoid overheating. Monitor what’s cooking – Remember the goodies you’ve put into the oven and check them regularly. Ensure everything is switched off when the food has been taken out. Be careful with decorations – Keep Christmas decorations such as tinsel away from sources of heat. For peace of mind ensure that your home insurance policy is up to date and includes all the latest contents to enter your home. Some providers now offer unlimited levels of home insurance while others offer increased coverage over the Christmas period. So ensure you keep your policy up to date or compare home insurance online to find a more suitable deal. By Alex Gregory Related Homeowners insurance could jump 20 percent – 12/11/08 – Raleigh … The state insurance commissioner says he plans to make a decision soon on a proposal to increase insurance premiums for North Carolina homeowners by an average of nearly 20 percen… Read more… |
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