- Pigeons, sheds and babies have also been main culprits for home insurance claims over the years, causing damage to homes themselves and its interior.
- According to Confused.com data, insurers paid out more than £4 million for frozen food claims since 2019. And oil leaks have cost around £68 million1.
- Water damage is proving to be the biggest headache for insurers, costing more than £1 billion over the last few years. That makes it the highest payout in relation to all other claims.
- It might not always be necessary to go through your insurance, but your insurer can bail you out, even in the weirdest of situations.
- Matthew Harwood, home insurance expert at Confused.com, explains how to claim on your home insurance and why a sturdy policy can benefit homeowners in multiple scenarios.
“A badger settled under my garage caused subsidence”, is just one of the admissions found through new research from Confused.com about unusual home insurance claims.
Badgers and other burrowing animals can dig holes and tunnels under roads, properties and buildings, causing them to collapse or subside. Although not an everyday occurrence, it can still happen. That’s just 1 of the many random and unusual home insurance claims made in the past as per new research.
According to the latest data, more than 7,600 claims have been made for frozen food over the past 5 years. An un-typical claim, you might think. But the loss of perishable food has seen insurers pay out more than £4.1 million. More than 200 claims have also been logged against fallen TV aerials, resulting in payouts of around £725,000 since 2019. And oil leakage also has cost insurers around £68 million in the past 5 years1.
Badgers aren’t the only uncommon cause of property damage over the years. Further research of 2,000 UK homeowners and renters found many strange ways people have had to claim through their home insurance.
One person said a pigeon flew into their patio doors, causing the glass to break. Another said their metal shed blew away due to strong winds. Someone else reported their sofa was ruined after their baby was “violently” sick all over it, in a scene they can only describe as “disgusting”.
Although you may not have ever needed to have claimed on your home insurance before, it’s always worth considering. In fact, Confused.com’s data reveals how insurers have paid out £355 million in recent years for repairs or replacements.
There’s proof in the pudding when it comes to the sheer volume of (slightly unusual) factors you could be covered for should the unexpected happen. In fact, more than half (54%) of people told Confused.com that they have had their home and their possessions broken or damaged in the past. The most common reasons were down to:
- Accidental damage (21%)
- Escape of water (18%)
- Broken fridge freezer (12%)
- Stormy weather (11%)
- Theft (11%)
- Flooding (7%)
Perhaps not the most common overall, water damage is certainly one of the biggest risks to homeowners if we base this off the current claims data. That’s as the latest data shows how these types of claims have amounted to more than £1.7 billion in the last 5 years. That topped the list as the highest payout in comparison to all other home insurance claims. More than £76 million was also claimed for escape of water due to freezing.
When it comes to damage at home, carpets (27%), interior walls (23%) and food (21%) seemed to be the most claimed against. But roofs (18%) and garden items (18%) were not too far behind. In total, the average value of this damage amounted to £284. Although more than half (54%) of people claimed for damages through their insurer, claiming back around £304, on average. That makes them around £20 better off. But of course, depending on the claim, it could be even more. For example, damages due to an escape of water were the most expensive claim made, according to survey respondents (7%). And when comparing this to Confused.com’s own research, the data shows exactly the same trends.
Damages to the home can affect both your home and what’s inside, but chances are when things go wrong, your possessions could be at risk. Whether that’s your mobile phone, expensive jewellery or even the frozen peas in your kitchen. In fact, the latest research found how possessions totalled to almost £4,000, on average, which included items such as clothes, gadgets, bedding and furniture.
The data speaks volumes to how much home insurance can help in times of need, whether your problem is a common occurrence or relatively rare. Even though a home insurance policy isn’t a legal requirement, the majority (86%) said they have at least a buildings or contents policy in place.
Matthew Harwood, home insurance expert at Confused.com, comments: “Our latest research reveals some of the very interesting reasons why people have needed to lean on their home insurance provider. It also shows the true scale of how much insurers have supported their customers financially over the years. More than £1 billion has been paid out for water damage alone.
“Some people may choose not to have any type of home insurance. This could be because it’s not a legal requirement like other insurances, or because of financial uncertainty in the current climate. But having a policy in place could really help in a situation which can be expensive and often very stressful.
“There are also times when you won’t need to claim on your insurance. For example, if the cost of the repair is cheaper than your total excess amount. But the main thing to consider when taking out a policy is whether it will cover you in the event of needing to make a claim. You want to make sure that you’re paying for the right level of cover. This is important if you live in an area of the UK prone to stormy weather, or live in an older home that could use TLC.
“If you need to make a claim, our guide on how to claim on your home insurance can provide further help and advice. Just remember to check your policy documents first, as not all insurers may pay out for incidents relating strictly to badgers…”
-ENDS-
cookie usage