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.
A recent study by Tesco Finance has looked at the damage we do in our own homes and found some startling results.
Children are one of the major culprits when it comes to damage around the home, racking up over GBP136 million worth of home insurance damage claims per year. Following on in value is the effects of alcohol, costing around GBP95 million in broken items and stains caused by spills. Following on from these is the damage caused by family pets, with a total of GBP87 million worth of damage every year from our faithful friends.
The biggest source of claims, for Tesco home insurance at least, is what they are calling horse play. Just messing around leads to a massive GBP325 million worth of damage and accounts for 25 percent of all contents insurance claims.
A study commissioned by Barclays Insurance has looked at the most popular small businesses across the UK,a key element for home insurance since a number of these businesses carry out repair work or provide new products.
For those suffering a plumbing related incident that needs attention, whether on the home insurance policy or not, Norwich is the place to be since there are more plumbers there than anywhere else in the UK. Barclays Insurance also found that Essex is the best place to find an electrician.
As a spokesman from Barclays Insurance explained, it can sometimes be difficult to find a tradesman for an insurance quote or repair, though in some places it is more difficult than others. The key point is that tradesmen are a vital part of the UK infrastructure.
