Sainsburys Bank home insurance division has found that just short of 10 million people are thinking of planting trees in their gardens this year and would like to warn them about the threat of subsidence.
The main advice given by Sainsburys Bank is to select a tree that will be of a suitable size for the garden and also to plant it a good distance away from the house. If homeowners do not follow this advice they may find an increased risk of subsidence and the need for an insurance claim. Leylandii and Willow are two of the most troublesome trees it has been found.
A Sainsburys Bank spokesman revealed that home insurance claims for subsidence have cost British insurers over GBP700,000 per day over the last 5 years. It is therefore important to be aware of the risks before going ahead with planting a tree.
According to Sainsburys Bank around 20 percent of UK homeowners are planning major changes to the structure of their properties in the next 12 months, though how many of them realise they should tell their insurer is another matter.
Around a third of those planning their home improvements were nor aware that their insurer should be made aware of the changes. Logically it makes sense since home insurance uses the information provided by the owner to determine the policy cost. If someone then adds on a new kitchen and conservatory for example the insurance company, be it Sainsburys Bank or another, would need to know the changes to make sure they are insured.
It is perhaps easy to forget about home insurance, said a Sainsburys Bank spokesman, since it is not visible and covers the house, but property changes really can change the value of the property and the amount it needs to be insured for. For this reason property owners should advise their insurer of the changes and save themselves problems in the future.
Sainsburys Bank are warning cyclists that even when their bicycle is at home it is still at risk of being stolen and should be protected accordingly.
Over 1,200 bicycles are stolen every day according to Sainsburys Bank figures, showing how popular they are with thieves. It is because of the ready made market for bikes and the fact that they are often easy to take away that the theft numbers are so high, something that Sainsburys would really like to see change. Having home insurance that covers the bicycle is one thing but it is far better not to have to lose the bike and claim in the first place.
Anyone with a bicycle is advised to not the make, model and frame number of their bike and take a picture if possible. Then they should check to make sure it is included in the home insurance policy. Sainsburys Bank remind policyholders to check for any exceptions to cover, so they know if the bike must be stored in a locked garage overnight or something like that.
