Cash crevasse: £1.5 billion winter repair bill

• Households hit with an average winter damage bill of £1,635 in 2012/13
• One in eight (12 per cent) homes have been damaged by severe winter weather in the past five years
• Over 1.6 million households have yet to turn on their heating despite freezing temperatures
• Tommy Walsh, celebrity DIY expert, calls on Britons to get set for winter
  
  

New consumer research* published by Direct Line home insurance reveals the cost of repairing damage caused to residential properties by the severe weather last winter exceeded £1.5 billion**.  With Arctic storms battering the UK this December, including winds of over 100mph, experts fear householders will be hit with even higher repair bills.  The almost 1 million households affected by winter weather last year paid out an average of £1,635 on repairs.

The nationwide study reveals the devastation caused by severe winter weather in the last five years.  Of the properties damaged in the period surveyed, 43 per cent had problems with their roofs, 23 per cent struggled with frozen pipes, and boiler failure affected 18 per cent of these homes.  An unlucky nine per cent even had to move out of their home as a result of winter weather damage.

Top 10 issues resulting from severe winter weather in the past five years

Source:  Direct Line home insurance 

Despite one in eight (12 per cent) households suffering damage from severe weather in the past five years, people are still failing to prepare for the worst in winter.  Just a third (35 per cent) of households have had their boiler serviced, with just a quarter clearing their gutters (24 per cent) and only a fifth (20 per cent) lagging their pipes.

Measures taken to protect households from winter damage this year

Source:  Direct Line home insurance 

Commenting on the research findings celebrity DIY expert Tommy Walsh said: “At this time of year it is easy to forget to service a boiler or lag your pipes when rushing around buying presents and festive decorations.  Taking basic precautions to prevent against common problems such as frozen pipes doesn’t need to be time consuming or expensive.  However, people that don’t invest in protecting their homes could face a nasty surprise as we face up to arctic weather conditions.”

Direct Line Home Insurance’s research also revealed more than one in twenty (over 1.6 million) households have yet to turn on their central heating this winter.  Almost a third (32 per cent) of householders delayed turning on their heating this year.  While many householders are trying to save money on their heating bills, they could find they face serious issues as a result of frozen or burst pipes when the temperature plummets. 

Katie Lomas, head of Direct Line home insurance, commented: “It is important to plan ahead and make sure your home is properly protected from the winter weather. During the colder months, leave the heating on at approximately 15 degrees on the thermostat to avoid cold-related property issues. Find out now where your stopcock is and know how to turn off the water supply in event of an emergency. You really don’t want to be looking for it when water is coming through the ceiling it a pipe bursts in the cold.”

ENDS
 

Notes to editors

*Study conducted by Opinium Research 29th November – 3rdDecember 2013 amongst 2004 UK adults. Results have been weighted to nationally representative criteria at an individual level but applied to the number of households in the UK. There are 26,414,000 households in the UK according to the ONS.

**75 respondents said that their home had been damaged. This is 3.74% of the total sample and this percentage applied to the number of households is 988,548

9 respondents said that they had not yet repaired the damage leaving 66 who have repaired it. As a percentage of the whole sample this is 3.39% and equivalent to 896,283 households. This number multiplied by the average of £1,635 (based on respondents estimating how much they spent) gives a total of £1,465,113,845

For further information please contact:

Claire Foster

Direct Line

claire.foster@directlinegroup.co.uk  
0208 285 8682

07900 217 264

Ewan Robertson

Citigate Dewe Rogerson

Ewan.Robertson@citigatedr.co.uk

0207 282 2981
 

Direct Line

Started in 1985, Direct Line became the first UK insurance company to use the telephone as its main channel of communication. It provides motor, home, travel and pet insurance cover direct to customers by phone or on-line.

Direct Line general insurance policies are underwritten by U K Insurance Limited, Registered office: The Wharf, Neville Street, Leeds LS1 4AZ. Registered in England No 1179980. U K Insurance Limited is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority.

Direct Line and UK Insurance limited are both part of Direct Line Insurance Group plc.

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