Everyone tries to look after themselves both for comfort and health at this time of year but do they look after their home in the same way? Afterall it is the warmth and shelter of home that is most people’s most crucial line of defence against arctic conditions.
A boiler breakdown or frozen pipe could lead to an array of challenges that can leave the home freezing or costly breakages.
The risk of accidents at this time of year is high with icy conditions and strong winds. Halifax Home insurance said it saw a 169% increase in storm claims compared to January 2017. It received 1,258 claims for storm damage in January 2018 versus just 467 in January 2017. The same period also saw a 59% increase in claims for damage caused by ‘impact’ – from a vehicle, animal or falling tree – with 135 claims in 2018 versus 85 in 2017.
It is recommended that people set their thermostats to a minimum of about 12 celsius to keep pipes warm. Don’t forget that maintaining a constant, moderate temperature is more efficient than turning the heating right up when you’re feeling the cold.
In case you do have a flood make sure you know where your stopcock is so you can stop any water as soon as possible.
Home emergency cover might be a useful purchase to prepare for a cold snap so that accidents may be treated quickly. The best home emergency policies should also provide boiler breakdown cover so you are not left out in the cold if your heating system breaks unexpectedly. Keep your home insurance details easily accessible so that you can get guidance quickly should you need to use it.
Get a home insurance quote today with Emerald and see what protection you could get for winter.
