Homeowners are forking out over £10 billion a year on repairing and decorating their homes.
Homeowners are forking out over Ł10 billion a year on repairing and decorating their homes.
Figures reveal that the average homeowner spends nearly Ł700* each year on materials and hiring tradesmen to maintain their homes.
But research from Norwich Union reveals that one in five homeowners has been a victim of cowboy builders or rogue repairers.
To help customers protect their homes and avoid the hassle of finding trustworthy tradesmen, Norwich Union is launching two new products - Home Emergency Cover and Central Heating Cover.
Home Emergency Cover is designed to fill the gap left by some home insurance policies, which cover resulting damage, but not always the cost of repairs for the immediate problem.
Providing a 24-hour helpline for customers, the policy covers a variety of home emergencies, including blocked drains, electrical wiring problems and leaking roofs. The policy also provides cover for temporary accommodation if the homeowner is unable to stay in their home overnight as a result of the emergency.
Central Heating Cover provides protection against the breakdown of domestic gas central heating systems, including the boiler, radiators, controls and the hot water cylinder. The policy also provides an annual inspection of the boiler – if this reveals it is not working efficiently, an engineer will carry out a full service.
Commenting on the new products, Louise Spear, development manager, Norwich Union, said: "We’ve commissioned extensive research among our customers to find out what help they need in looking after their homes. Many said they needed more support with day to day management – be this coping with everyday hassles or ongoing maintenance. Others were worried about hiring tradesmen, fearing that they might get ripped off or suffer from shoddy workmanship.
"As the insurer of one in five homes, we already have access to a wide network of approved contractors. These products help homeowners to maintain their property safe in the knowledge that should the worst happen, a reliable tradesmen is on hand to do any repair work."
Both products also provide:
- No excess and no maximum number of claims
- Emergency hotline available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year
- Covers call-out charges, the cost of parts and labour, and VAT.
- Usually same-day attendance for emergencies, next-day for all other calls
- Access to network of approved contractors
Home Emergency Cover costs Ł3.95 a month and the cost of Central Heating Cover is Ł13.95 per month.
For more information, customers should call 0800 056 2496 or visit the website at www.norwichunion.com/homeservices
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Media contact: Liz Kennett at Norwich Union press office on 01603 688263/out of hours 07801 901666
Notes to editors:
* Ł10bn - total annual spend in 2002 on repairing and decorating the home - divided by 14.9m – number of owner-occupied households = cŁ700 per household. Source – Office of National Statistics
Both policies are standalone products available to homeowners in mainland UK or the Isle of Wight – they do not need to be an existing Norwich Union customer. For Central Heating Cover the customer has to be on mains gas, and while there are some restrictions on the age and type of boiler, the majority of these can be catered for.
- Norwich Union insures one in five households
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