Statistics show that most second home house insurance claims occur during the winter, predominantly caused by extreme weather – frost, snow, flooding, storms, but also break-ins. This is understandable due to the very nature of holiday properties being locked up and left for long periods without inspection.

Claims costs: Insurers paid out £1.4bn in ‘big freeze’ insurance claims in the UK between 24 November to 31 December 2010, up from £700m for the previous winter of 2009/10.

• 467,000 – the number of claims that UK insurers dealt with
• £900m – the cost of property damage claims, 190,000 claims in total
• 103,000 – property damage claims were for burst pipe damage, at a cost of £680m.
• 12,000 – the average number of claims a day, at an average daily cost of £38m

Insurance provides cover for a list of specified perils. Policies do not provide unlimited cover for every eventuality or maintenance related issues. With this in mind it’s important that holiday home owners take all reasonable precautions to prevent a loss or damage and keep their property maintained.

As insurance does not cover all eventualities, property owners are liable for uninsured losses and general ‘wear and tear’ so taking precautions can prevent you suffering unnecessary expenses.

Here are useful of tips and advice to protect your holiday home in winter

Preventing and dealing with burst/frozen pipes

Storms – Here are some excellent resources for keeping up to date with weather warnings and flood alerts. Does insurance cover a fallen tree? – Gales often cause trees to come down, but what if the tree causes damage? Who is responsible for the removal? Does insurance cover storm damage to fences & gates? – Fences are also frequently damaged in storms, but are they covered? Does home insurance cover snow damage? – Heavy snow can put a lot of weight and pressure on gutters damaging them, water ingress from thawing snow also causes damage. Here we clarify what is and isn’t covered. Flood & storm insurance for property abroad – If you own a property abroad and are insured by a foreign insurer then there are certain things you should be aware of that could leave you uninsured. Storm definitions, minimum rainfall and wind speed requirements for a claim to be valid and strict claims notification deadlines. This article points out what you should look out for.

Flooding How to prepare for flooding – Flooding can be a problem in UK holiday home hotspots, here is advice on how to prepare if you are at risk. What to do if your holiday home is flooded – Steps to take if you are flooded. How to check if a home is at risk of flooding – Looking to buy a holiday home? Check if it is in a flood area before you commit as you could have problems insuring it.

Maintenance How to prepare your holiday home for winter – An extensive list of simple maintenance tasks that can prevent a loss or damage and unnecessary expenses. French house insurance chimney sweeping clause – Does your French insurance policy require an annual chimney sweep? You could be uninsured for a chimney fire if you fail to do so. Holiday home oil theft warning – The rising cost and short supply of domestic heating oil has seen a rise in rural oil thefts. How to protect your tank. Does overseas home insurance cover mould? – Overseas properties that are left over winter often suffer from mould. Here are tips on how to prevent it. Prevent carbon monoxide risks at holiday lets & cottages – The silent killer. Ensure you and your guests are safe.

Security Holiday home security advice – Occupied and unoccupied holiday cottages are often an easy target for burglars. Here are some tips to prevent break-ins.

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