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Halifax Home Insurance: Flood damage affects 3.3m each year

12/03/07

More than three million households may need to make a home insurance claim this year after water flooded their properties, according to the latest home insurance research.
 
Figures from Halifax Home Insurance indicates that an average of 3.3 million homes have suffered water damage in each of the last five years as a result of burst water tanks, leaking pipes, malfunctioning dishwashers and a host of other everyday problems.
 
And the home insurance provider has discovered that the most common cause of flood damage was a washing machine – responsible for 14 per cent of all difficulties – while ten per cent related to leaky showers.
 
Vicky Emmott, senior underwriter at the home insurance specialist, explained that modern house-building trends may be a contributory factor to the frequency of flooding problems.
 
"Changing fashions in the housing market have increased the likelihood of homes being damaged by leaking water," she said.
 
"The trend for homes with multiple bathrooms and the current vogue for wet rooms have significantly increased the risk of water leaks and damage in the home."
 
Ms Emmott added that home insurance claims relating to water damage were also becoming more frequent among older properties, which she attributed to problems caused by corroding pipes.
 
Homeowners looking to insure their property may wish to consider separately arranging building insurance and contents insurance cover.
 
Building insurance policies protect the external features of the home, such as roofing and the foundations, whereas contents insurance deals cover items contained within the property, such as TVs and kitchen appliances.
 
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