Don't let your Easter weekend turn into a DIY disaster

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With thousands of homeowners springing into DIY action over the Easter bank holiday weekend, esure home insurance provides tips and advice to make sure that anyone having a go at some handy home improvement work doesn’t end up creating even more work for themselves and facing a hefty bill.

With the average homeowner having over £5,000¹ worth of mod-cons and electricals in their home, esure recommends that anyone considering on embarking on a DIY project should make sure they have adequate home insurance - particularly accidental damage cover.

Should an unfortunate accident happen whilst carrying out repairs or improvements around the home – such as drilling through water pipes, knocking over a television set or splashing paint onto upholstery or carpets – then homeowners with accidental damage cover will have peace of mind that the repair bill will be covered and all items will be replaced new for old.

Drilling through a water pipe:

If a homeowner accidentally drills into a water pipe when putting up a shelf in a bathroom for example, then any damage the water causes to the bathroom flooring or any other contents will be covered by a homeowner’s accidental damage insurance².

Causing a home emergency:

esure's Home Emergency policy provides cover should a problem with plumbing and drainage, the main heating system, the domestic power supply, the toilet, roof damage or home security occur.

If a homeowner has added home emergency cover to their policy and drills through a water pipe, it will provide cover for call out charges and the repair of the water leak by a plumber, plus costs incurred to replace a the damaged pipe work and repair the surrounding wall³.

Spilling paint on a carpet:

If a pot of paint is accidentally knocked over and ruins a carpet then the cost of the replacement carpet and fitting charges will be covered under a homeowner’s accidental damage insurance.

Dodgy workmanship:

If a patio is laid poorly or brickwork is left loose and a friend, relative or visitor injures themselves as a result, they could claim against the homeowner⁴. Although having home insurance with ample personal liability cover offers peace of mind that legal costs will be covered if negligence is proven, homeowners should seek professional assistance before undertaking skilled work around the home and garden.

Keep control of bonfires:

Clearing overgrown gardens or landscaping projects often start over the long Easter weekend. Homeowners should make sure that any bonfire used to clear leaf litter and debris is supervised and controlled. If it set alight a neighbour’s property or injured someone then they could claim against the homeowner, so having home insurance cover is crucial⁵.

Mike Pickard, Head of Risk and Underwriting at esure home insurance, said:

"For anyone thinking about attempting DIY jobs around the home this Easter weekend, having ample buildings and contents insurance, plus accidental damage cover to foot the bill of any DIY mishaps, is definitely worthwhile.

It can be easy to bite off more than we can chew when it comes to DIY, so remember to do your homework and make sure you’re familiar with the basics before getting your hands dirty. If in doubt, hire in professional help."

esure offers some top tips on how to prevent DIY disasters this Easter:

Do some detection before drilling: If you're going to use a drill then use safety eyewear and if you're about to drill into a wall, check first for hidden pipes and cables with a detector. Avoid wearing loose clothing or jewellery, which could get caught in the drill.
Prepare before picking up a paintbrush: Cover any furniture, as well as the carpet, with dust sheets or plastic sheeting, as paint can be difficult to remove once dry, particularly from fabric.
Don't work too late: It's often easier to seek emergency help – perhaps from a plumber or electrician – during the day rather than late into the evening so don't leave it too late in the day to tackle more difficult home improvements.

-ends-

esure's press contacts:

Asia Manzoor, Public Relations Officer: 01737 641305
Niki Bolton, Corporate Communications Manager: 01737 235070
Emma Lloyd, Assistant Communications Officer: 01737 641309
Adrian Webb, Head of Corporate Communications: 01737 641000
Email: pr@esure.com

Notes to Editors:

SWNS conducted an online research survey via Onepoll which interviewed a random sample of 3000 homeowners aged 18+ between 16th June – 22nd June 2008.
Covered under esure's contents cover
Adding optional Home Emergency cover to an esure home insurance policy costs just £3.75 a month (including Insurance Premium Tax), and pays up to £500 (including VAT) per claim for the call out charge, up to 2 hours labour costs and up to a maximum of £100 (including VAT) for parts and materials. Cover starts as soon as the policy is taken out.
esure's home insurance includes £10million of cover for Personal Liability claims in every contents policy and this can provide essential cover for anyone who causes as an occupier bodily injury or illness to a person, or loss or damage to another person’s property. Without this cover, a valid claim could be pursued against the assets of any individual and result in the loss of earnings, property or other possessions.

About esure:

esure was launched in 2001. The company offers car, home, pet and travel insurance over the internet and by phone. esure also offers car insurance cover through the brands Halifax, Sainsbury's, Sheilas' Wheels and more recently home insurance through the Sheilas' Wheels brand.

Sponsorship:

esure has secured two of the UK's most iconic sponsorships: the ITV National and Channel 4 Weather bulletins.

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