Burst pipes will result in insurers paying out more than £650 million

The Association of British Insurers (ABI) has predicted that insurance providers will underwrite in excess of £650 million as thousands of property owners make home insurance claims to cover the cost of damage caused by burst water pipes.

The ABI has reported that insurers paid out £644 million to property owners to cover the cost of repairing water damage caused as pipes burst and water escaped from pipes, taps and washing machines during last year's cold snap.

And as winter weather conditions faced this year are forecast to be worse than in the years previous, the insurance body has urged home owners to help protect their homes against water damage.

Nick Starling, ABI director of general insurance and health, has encouraged home owners to keep their properties as warm as possible and to ensure their water pipes and water tanks are well insulated.
"Freezing winter weather may have arrived early this year, but insurers are ready to deal with the misery and disruption it can cause." Starling said.
"As well as offering advice on how to keep your home safe this winter, insurers are poised to come to the aid of homeowners and businesses that have to face the often considerable damage that a burst pipe can cause."
British Gas also added that home owners are more likely to face boiler breakdowns as winter weather worsens. The firm has encouraged home owners to regularly check their boilers are in full working order and to bleed radiators regularly.

Robin Gray, British Gas's winter home expert has noted that while 25 per cent of home owners have experienced a boiler breakdown before, almost 70 per cent of home owners do not check that their boilers are in working order before the onset of freezing winter temperatures.

Fri, 03 Dec 2010 08:01:00 GMT