Accident cover essential before makeovers

Do-it-yourself enthusiasts should choose accidental damage cover on their home insurance policies, an expert advises.

Steve Foulsham from the British Insurance Brokers' Association (Biba) said that DIY damage was accepted as a valid claim by many companies, excluding electrical work.

As accidental damage was often an optional extra, households with a resident DIY enthusiast should ensure they are covered, he suggested.

Recent research by Zurich revealed that a fifth of people who 'did it themselves' had to pay out an average of £280 for a professional to out their botch-jobs right, the BBC reported.

As long as you're acting within the law, I think there's a general perception that most people will do a certain amount of work, Mr Foulsham concluded.

So most household policies would cover that damage – assuming that you do have accidental damage cover .

Biba aims to represent the interests of insurance brokers, intermediaries and customers and work with partner members in the insurance industry.