Lockdown DIY Could Be Making Your Home Insurance Invalid

16 Jul

According to a study by Aviva, 85% of adults in the UK have carried out home improvements during lockdown. That’s a staggering amount of people who have been using the additional time spent at home to undertake DIY, whether that’s decluttering, redecorating and gardening or even bigger projects that require building and remodelling. As tradespeople and builders return to work in people’s homes, those larger planned projects are truly taking off.

While cosmetic home improvements, such as painting or hanging photos won’t impact home insurance cover, bigger changes will. If you are planning any major projects, from loft conversions to extensions, it’s important that you let your insurance provider know.

Renovating or Altering Your Home

Insurance policies vary depending on the provider. It’s crucial that you read the small print before you start any home renovations or alterations to understand your cover and what updates put your home at risk. That way, your home will be covered in the event of a claim.

This will also allow your insurer to decide if they can provide cover during the work and after, as your home will be different to the home they originally insured. If they are happy to cover your home while the work is being undertaken, make sure you know what the cover includes as there could be some exclusions. For example, many policies don’t cover accidental damage, so you will need to make sure the tradesperson carrying out the work has adequate insurance.

It’s worth reviewing your home insurance after bigger home improvements have been carried out. If a property gets bigger, chances are its value will increase. If a new space is filled with more furniture, it makes sense to review contents insurance too.

Lockdown Purchases

In addition to home improvements, the lockdown has resulted in many people spending money to make homes more enjoyable. There has been an increase in sales of electronics and gaming equipment as people have more downtime, and gym closures have contributed to more people investing in home exercise equipment and bikes. When it comes to the garden, there has been a spike in sales of garden furniture, such as hot tubs and paddling pools, in place of holidays.

If you’ve made similar new purchases, we recommend reviewing your home contents policy to ensure your contents are insured for the right amount.

Protecting Your Home

Whether you have been using the lockdown to improve your home with big changes or purchasing items to make it a more pleasant place to be, it’s essential to make sure that these updates are covered under your home and contents insurance.

Can We Help With Your Home Insurance?

Our Chartered, independent insurance broking team will save you time and provide tailored advice to make sure you have the right home and contents insurance cover for your needs.

If you would like to discuss your cover, our team are fully operational from home and ready to take your call. What’s more, we are currently offering 20% off home insurance. Contact us today on 02920 853788 or at contact@thomas-carroll.co.uk.