Home Insurance

Top tips for protecting your home

Your contents insurance or buildings insurance is there to protect your property and your possessions - and Norwich Union is there for you if you need us.

But what can you do to protect your premium, reduce claims and improve your home environment? Maybe more than you think! We've used our expertise to outline some good advice to help you do just that - see what a difference you can make.

Common sense ways to avoid incidents

From fire damage, flood and theft to everyday spillages and breakages, there are many ways that you can find yourself needing your home insurance. With a bit of forward planning, not only can you cut the risks to your home and reduce the likelihood of a claim, you can also reduce your contents insurance or buildings insurance premiums over time.

Here are our Top Tips for avoiding a claim:

Fire prevention

• Fit a smoke alarm.
• If you suffer a fire, minimise the damage by making sure you have smoke alarms fitted. They are cheap to buy and might also save your life!
• DON'T let a small fire get out of hand. Keep a fire extinguisher in the house - you can pick one up for around £20.

General security

• Keep your valuables safe. DON'T leave jewellery and other valuables where they can be easily found.
• Have a safe fitted. For high value items that you only need occasional access to, why not pop them in a safety deposit box at the bank?
• Fit motion sensitive exterior lighting. Available from most DIY shops, exterior floodlighting with motion sensitive detectors will light up your garden and other exterior areas, warning off intruders.
• Make an accurate assessment of the value of your possessions. Make sure you have an accurate idea of the value of your possessions. Overestimating their value will mean a higher premium. Underestimating their value may mean any claim is not paid in full.
• Got a drive? Lay down a gravel surface - the crunch will alert you to any people approaching!
• Cancel the milk or papers when you go on holiday. A pile of newspapers through the letterbox or milk left outside is a giveaway that your home is unoccupied. If possible ask a friend or relative to visit the property while you are away to remove such evidence - don't give burglars a chance.
• Don't leave valuables on open view - particularly at Christmas!
• Keep any outbuildings or sheds locked. A lot of theft is opportunistic - a strong padlock and fittings on any outbuildings or sheds will deter most break-in attempts.

Accidents

• Spillages: the dreaded red wine spillage on a pale carpet is a common cause of domestic insurance claims. Keep some table salt handy - pour generously on the spillage immediately and it will quickly soak up a lot of the colour and moisture - then just hoover it up!

Save energy and money

While there may be some doubt currently about the future of the HIP - the Government's new Home Information Pack - you can still do many simple eco-friendly things to reduce the carbon footprint of your home and cut your bills for a more energy efficient home.

Let's have a look at where you could make some quick and valuable savings:

Lighting

According to The National Energy Foundation, low-energy light bulbs use up to five times less electricity than conventional light bulbs.

It adds that an energy-saving compact fluorescent (CFL) 20 watt low-energy bulb with an 8,000 hour life will save around £35 of electricity over its lifetime compared with a standard 40 watt bulb with a tungsten filament.

• For a home with around 20 or more interior lights, that's a big saving over time that cuts your carbon emissions by consuming less energy.
• Low-energy bulbs are widely available and now look similar to standard bulbs. Most supermarkets sell them.
• A good rule of thumb is that if the light doesn't need to be on, just turn it off!

Heating

You can cut out a surprising amount of wasted energy just by using your central heating controls - such as thermostats for heating and hot water, radiator controls with thermostats included and electronic timers.

These few steps can pay financial and environmental dividends:

• Use the timer to make sure the heating is only on when you need it.
• If you're having a new boiler or hot water cylinder put in, ask the installer to talk you through the controls - and ask for a follow-up visit.
• Try turning the thermostat down by just 1 degree Celsius - you could save as much as 10 per cent on your heating bills.
• When you replace your existing boiler, buy a more energy efficient one. Just look for the energy-saving recommended label on the product - it can only be used on the most energy efficient products and could save you a packet.

Insulation

Did you know that you could be losing as much as a third* of your heating costs through your roof if your home is poorly insulated?

If you currently have no loft insulation, installing 270mm will cost about £230 and could save you between £180 to £220 annually. It could also reduce your household CO2 footprint by 1.5 tonnes every year and what's more you can even fit it yourself*.

• Even if you already have loft insulation, adding another layer to bring it up to 270 mm can make a big difference to heat loss.
• You can save up to £160* a year with cavity wall insulation - the savings you make means it will pay for itself in under 2 years and could reduce your household CO2 footprint by 1 tonne every year.
• Installation is quick and easy - just a few hours for a typical three-bedroom house, and can be done from the outside.
• Your home needs to have hollow cavity walls - you can insulate solid walls too, but this is a bigger and more costly job to do.
• DON'T forget to lag your hot water pipes and insulate the boiler to keep heat in.
• Use sealing strips to draft-proof windows and cut heat loss by up to 20%.*
• Think about double-glazing. It will cut heat loss through your windows by up to 50%!*

* Source: The Energy Saving Trust (UK Government), 2007.

Appliances

Think about how you use your household appliances:

• DON'T leave your TV, hi-fi, DVD or computer on standby overnight. A 2006 survey by The Energy Saving Trust found the average household has up to 12 gadgets left on standby or charging at any one time, wasting more than £740m of electricity by keeping that little red light on.
• DO turn your central heating thermostat down by 1C° - The Energy Saving Trust estimates this will cut annual heating bills by 10%.
• DO wash your clothes at 30C° instead of 40C° - you'll save money on electricity and there will be no difference in wash quality.
• DO part-fill your kettle if you only need a little boiling water - it will boil faster and use less energy.
• DO regularly defrost your freezer - it will work more efficiently and use less electricity. Keeping it full (without obstructing the fan which circulates cold air) is also more energy efficient.
• DO wait until you have a full load for the dishwasher - you will use it less and cut the amount of energy you use.
• DO look for replacement products with an energy-saving recommended label as they will help save you money too.

Hey presto! You've just created a more energy efficient home!

Prepare for the worst

Make sure you're prepared

According to recent figures from the Environment Agency, homeowners who are burgled lose an average of £900 per incident - the average flood damage figure is a staggering £28,000. The figures also show that around 2.3 million households out of 25 million in England and Wales are at risk from flooding. However, less than a third - just 31% - of those householders have taken steps to see if they are at risk.

You can do a lot to head of the threat from flooding. Visit the Norwich Union flood support website for practical information on how to minimise the risk of your home flooding, and how to reduce the damage if it does.

If you find that your home is in area prone to flooding, then think like a scout: plan ahead and be prepared.

• Talk to your insurer about the flood provisions in your contents insurance or buildings insurance policy.
• DO know what you're covered for.
• DO know what preventative measures your insurer expects you to take.
• Make sure you advise your insurer of any recent or planned flood defences in your area.
• Ask your local council and/or ask the Environment Agency
• There are now specialist companies that offer flood protection measures for your home.
• Listen out for severe weather warnings on the radio.
• Keep a supply of filled sandbags handy to help seal your doors.

If the worst does happen and you fall victim to a sudden flood then:

• Turn off water, electricity and gas at the mains.
• Move as much furniture and rugs upstairs as you can.
• Lift and secure your curtains out of the reach of any water coming in.

Health check for your home

General safety and security tips

• DO fit a burglar alarm.
  • If you have one, keep it serviced once a year and use it when you are out.
  • If you haven't, do get one - it will normally reduce your home insurance premium and make your home more secure.
• DO keep your valuables safe.
  • DON'T leave jewellery and other valuables where they can be easily found.
  • Have a safe fitted.
  • DO buy an invisible UV security pen and mark your property with your name and address.
  • DO compile a photographic or video record of your valuables - it'll make things easier if you need to make a claim on your contents insurance.
  • DO get items valued professionally if you're unsure how much they're worth - this is particularly important for antiques.
  • For high value items that you only need occasional access to, why not pop them in a safety deposit box at the bank?
• DO fit locks to your windows.
  • A lock on each window cuts the chance of a break-in. They are cheap and easy to fit and will often reduce your home insurance premium too.
  • Remember to lock your doors and windows each night or when you go away.
• DO make sure your door locks are good and solid.
  • Mortise and cylinder locks are very secure - make sure your doors have them.
• DO fit motion sensitive exterior lighting.
  • Available from most DIY shops, exterior floodlighting with motion sensitive detectors (called PIR) will light up your garden and other exterior areas, warning off intruders.
  • Think about light sensitive lighting outside that automatically comes on after sunset.
  • Fit your security lighting out of the easy reach of an intruder - 2.5m (8ft) is a good rule of thumb.
• DO make an accurate assessment of the value of your possessions.
  • Make sure you have an accurate idea of the value of your possessions.
  • Overestimating the value will mean a higher contents insurance premium.
• Live in a Neighbourhood Watch area?
  • Let your home insurance provider know - it could well reduce your premium.
• Got a drive?
  • Lay down a gravel surface - the crunch will alert you to any people approaching!
• DO cancel the milk or papers when you go on holiday.
  • A pile of newspapers through the letterbox or milk left outside is a giveaway that your home is unoccupied - don't give burglars a chance.
  • DONT leave valuables on open view - particularly at Christmas!
  • DO use timer switches that will automatically turn certain lights on around your home.
  • DON'T leave packaging lying around - it shows you have new items inside.
  • DO ask a friend or a neighbour to check on your home periodically.
• DO keep any outbuildings or sheds locked.
  • DO fit - a strong padlock and fittings on any outbuildings or sheds will deter most opportunistic break-in attempts.
  • DO locks doors and windows
  • DO fit blinds to windows to hide attractive items from view
  • DO place high value portable items such as tools and electrical equipment within locked containers. Similarly, lock your mowers and bikes to the wall with a padlock and chain.
  • DO keep walls, hedges, fences and gates in good order.
  • DON'T let hedges and shrubs become so tall that they hide intruders by blocking the neighbours' view of the property

Intruder detection

• DO fit an alarm system - your home insurance premiums could be reduced if you have one.
• DO take professional advice before you fit one from your home insurance company, local crime prevention office or alarm installer.
• DO use a reputable security professional, preferably registered with the National Security Inspectorate (NSI) or Security Systems and Inspectorate Board (SSAIB)]
  • Maintenance contracts typically include an annual inspection to check your system is in working properly.
• DO make sure that all the occupants, including key holders, are aware of how to enable and disable the system

Fire prevention

• DON'T leave pans unattended.
  • Only fill a pan one third full when frying.
  • Place a wet towel over the pan if it overheats or catches fire.
  • NEVER throw water over a chip pan fire the effects can be devastating.
• DO keep toasters away from curtains.
• DO keep your oven and grill clean to stop fat and food deposits catching fire.
• DO keep a BBQ away from timber sheds, fences, canopies and any material that may catch fire.
  • Avoid fuel accelerants to get your BBQ going and let it cool before getting rid of the ashes.
• DO place a fireguard around your fireplace to catch any spitting embers.
• DO keep portable heaters away from soft furnishings or other flammable materials.
• DON'T overload electricity sockets - one plug per socket.
• DON'T leave your appliances on standby when you're not using them.
• NEVER leave candles unattended and always put them out before leaving or heading for bed.
  • Keep them on a surface that won't burn and away from anything that might - your television in particular.
• DO fit a smoke alarm and a carbon monoxide detector - they're cheap and the early warning of fire or dangerous gases may save your life one day.
  • Fit one per floor and remember to check and replace the batteries.
• DO buy a fire extinguisher or fire blanket to tackle minor fires.
  • Have a FETA accredited professional check your extinguisher once a year.
  • Use a dry powder extinguisher for electrical fires.
  • Use a CO 2 or foam extinguisher for fuel, paint or fat fires.
  • Use a water extinguisher for wood, paper or textile fires.
  • If a fire is serious, call the Fire Brigade by dialling 999.

Flood protection preparation

• DO ask your home insurance company for advice.
• DO listen out for severe weather warnings on to local radio and TV - that little bit of preparation time can make all the difference.
• DO check the Environment Agency Flood Line for the latest information on 01276 454725.
• DO keep a supply of sandbags and sand handy if you live in an area prone to flooding.
  • Place them against the base of your external doors to help stem the flow.
  • Block any airbricks with plastic sheeting - and don't forget to unblock them when the water subsides.
• DO move as much of your furniture and electrical kit upstairs as you can.
• DO lift rugs and curtains off the ground.
• DO turn electricity, water and gas off at the mains.
• DO make sure any outbuildings are secure.
• DO make sure you repair any broken or damaged fencing.
• DO park your car away from large trees if you can.

Flood protection - if you suffer damage

• DO make a record of the damage and call your home insurance company.
• DON'T remove or throw anything away until your home insurance company has given you the all clear to do so.
• DON'T appoint anyone to begin repairs until your home insurance company has given you the goahead.
• DON'T use any gas or electrical services until your suppliers have checked that all is well.

Subsidence and heave

• Subsidence is when the ground supporting your home sinks and heave is the opposite - when the ground expands and pushes upwards.
• It's usually caused by changes in the amount of water in the ground.
• Clay for example, is more likely to shrink in long periods of hot weather and cause subsidence while damage to drains by tree roots can cause heave.
• Trees can increase the likelihood of damage if they're too close to your property.
• Before you plant any trees or if you're having a house built, think about how big it will grow when fully matured.

Here's our handy guide to how far away from your home or outbuildings the most common types of tree should be:

Species	Mature height	Safe distance
Beech	20m (66ft)	15m (50ft)
Birch	14m (42ft)	10m (33ft)
Cherry	17m (55ft)	11m (36ft)
Elm	25m (81ft)	30m (99ft)
Hawthorn	10m (33ft)	12m (40ft)
Horse Chestnut	20m (66ft)	23m (75ft)
Lime	24m (79ft)	20m (66ft)
Maple	21m (69ft)	20m (66ft)
Oak	24m (79ft)	30m (99ft)
Pine	29m (95ft)	8m (26ft)
Sycamore	24m (79ft)	17m (55ft)
Willow	24m (79ft)	40m (132ft)

Subsidence and heave what to do if you find cracks in your home:

• DON'T be alarmed at every crack that appears most homes suffer minor cracks as the structure settles and shifts.
• DO contact your home insurance company when small cracks appear suddenly in plasterwork around weak points like doors and windows, especially after a long spell of dry weather.
• DO watch out for cracks wider than the thickness of a 10p coin that are narrower at the bottom - it could be caused by ground movement.

Spillages

• The dreaded red wine spillage on a pale carpet is a common cause of home insurance claims.
• DO keep bottles and glasses away from ledges and lay down a drop cloth or an old rug if you're having a party.
• DO keep some table salt handy - pour generously on the spillage immediately and it will quickly soak up a lot of the colour and moisture - then just hoover it up!

Know your policy

Home insurance companies are here to help you when you need it most - and that means paying claims. At Norwich Union, did you know we pay out around £3 billion a year in claims of all types - that's more than £8 million a day!

Yet every year, insurers reject thousands of home insurance claims. This is often because people simply aren't familiar with their home insurance policy and what they are - and aren't - covered for. For instance, our 'Your Policy Uncovered' research conducted by ICM in January 2007 found that a third of us never take the time to read our insurance documents.

So don't get caught out by word-of-mouth assertions passed off as fact: do take some time to familiarise yourself with your policy. To get you off to a flying start:

• We've compiled the UK's top contents insurance and buildings insurance misconceptions for you.
• We've also pulled together a short guide to what's typically covered by your home insurance - and what's not.

Just click the links below to find out more.

The UK's Top home insurance myths

What's usually covered - and what's not

The UK's top home insurance myths...

1. Matching pairs and sets
   A standard home insurance policy only covers the cost of replacing or repairing the damaged item in question, even if this forms part of a matching set. This can cause confusion if the claim is for a bathroom suite or a sofa and armchairs set, when many people expect the whole suite or pair to be replaced.
2. A gradually operating cause
   Sounds technical but it's pretty simple. Home insurance isn't a maintenance contract: generally it's there to help with unforeseen events and doesn't provide cover for damage that occurs over a period of time - what's known as the gradually operating cause. It's the homeowner's responsibility to keep their property in good order. For example, you are not covered for incremental damage caused to the property from a sustained period of bad weather - but you are covered for damage from an isolated event like a storm or a flood, and for subsidence.
3. Wear & tear
   Similarly, home insurance or contents insurance is not there to replace or repair things that have simply deteriorated over time. Areas commonly prone to 'wear & tear' on a building include guttering, flat roofs, fascia boards and boundary walls. Make sure you check these regularly.
4. Taking reasonable care
   We think it's fair to expect you to take all necessary precautions to protect your property. Leaving your home unlocked while you pop out to the shops or leaving windows open while you're out could be classed as negligent - resulting in a home insurance claim being turned down.
5. Loss within the home
   A basic home insurance policy tends to cover major things like theft, fire, subsidence, storm or water damage. Unless 'personal belongings' cover is added, items that are just 'lost' within the home aren't covered.
6. You must take out buildings or contents insurance with your mortgage lender
   Only if your mortgage lender specifies it. Usually you will be able to place your contents insurance or buildings insurance with whomever you like as long as you provide proof to your lender.
7. If my home is completely destroyed, the insurance will pay out the full market value
   No - your buildings insurance will only pay for the costs of rebuilding your home while your contents insurance replaces your possessions.

What's usually covered - and what's not

When we conducted our 'Your Policy Uncovered' research in 2007, we made some startling findings about home insurance:

• 33% of people never read their policy.
• 25% of people don't know what their insurance actually covers them for.
• 38% don't know when their policies expire.

No two home insurance policies are the same - but most policies come with a standard excess and will exclude broadly the same category of claim:

Subsidence, heave or landslip

• If caused by coastal or riverbank erosion.
• Unless your home, garages or outbuildings are damaged.
• Caused to flooring unless load-bearing walls are also damaged.

Accidental damage

• Caused by wear and tear or other gradually operating causes - including mildew, rot and corrosion.
• Caused by vermin, insects and/or pets.

Vehicles and craft

• Damage to road and other motorised vehicles you may own, except gardening equipment and children's toys.
• Damage to aircraft and boats - except models and toys.
• Any subsequent liability relating to these.

Home unoccupied
If you leave your home unoccupied for an agreed number of days, your home insurance may exclude any malicious damage, theft, leaking oil or water, glass breakage and other accidental damage. Be sure to check your policy for details.

Pedal bikes
If you leave any bikes unattended, any claim is likely to be rejected unless they are securely locked to a structure or in a locked building.

Theft from unattended vehicles
If you choose to insure some household items whilst away from the home, be aware that theft cover does not usually apply unless your property is hidden in a glove or luggage compartment and the vehicle is locked. Always keep your valuables out of sight and if possible, take them with you.

Business Use
If you use part of your home for business, make sure you let your home insurance company know - so you know where you stand.

Norwich Union has teamed up with Norfolk Police on a unique home security project on a typical UK street. The Safer Street project aims to educate homeowners on the simple steps they can take to reduce their risks and bring communities together.