Protect your pipes as cold weather heads our way
With the plummeting temperatures this week, AXA is warning people to make sure they take precautions to avoid burst pipes.
Statistics from AXA show that during the cold snap of last year, ‘escape of water claims' escalated with thousands of homeowners suffering the misery of damaged possessions.
The company's data showed that, as temperatures dropped during December 09 and January 10, customers were three times more likely to have an escape of water claim than a theft claim and 13 times more likely than a fire claim.
About 1 in 1000 customers claimed for water damage during last winter.
The average loss was £25,000 (combination of contents and buildings).
The average contents claim was £6,100 and the average buildings claim was £19,200.
The biggest claims have seen houses totally destroyed with costs reaching hundreds of thousands of pounds. And for the 20% of households who have no cover for contents, this could have much more serious repercussions.
Amanda Edwards from AXA Insurance says: "People often don't realise the importance of protecting their water systems from freezing conditions. Not only does burst pipe damage have financial implications, especially if insurance is not in place, but it can also cause huge emotional trauma from ruined personal belongings."
AXA's tips for protecting pipes
1 Leave your heating on at a minimum of 12°C. This will stop water in your pipes from freezing.
2 Leave your loft hatch open to let warm air circulate - particularly if you have a cold water tank in your loft.
3 Make sure you know where your stop cock is so you can turn off water quickly in an emergency
4 Check the insulation on your water pipes and the lagging on your cold water tank - if there's none in place get it sorted as soon as possible.
5 Insulate your loft - not only will this keep your home warm, it has environmental benefits too.
6 Leave your kitchen and bathroom cabinet doors open - this will allow warmer air to circulate around the pipes that are often found inside these cupboards.
7 Seal any holes that let in cold air. With modern technology, increasing numbers of people have holes in the wall for computer cables or TV links.
8 If you're going away, drain your water system. Probably not necessary if you are going away for just a short period, but if you are planning an extended break during the winter, this is a wise precaution. The group most badly affected by claims last year were the over 50s who were spending the winter abroad.
9 Also, if you're away, get your neighbours to check on your property - while it won't stop a pipe from freezing if you haven't taken other precautions, at least early intervention may reduce the damage caused.
10 Check your insurance is up to date and you are covered for the full value of your contents. If you're an AXA home insurance customer and the worst happens, highly trained call handlers from AXA will guide you through your claim.