Home insurance reminder for DIY botchers

Millions of homeowners risk racking up heavy repair bills as a result of failing to take out home insurance before embarking on a DIY project, it has been claimed.

According to a study from home insurance specialist Prudential Home Insurance, 77 per cent of UK men no longer feel confident putting up a shelving unit, while 86 per cent fear they would struggle to move a plug or light switch.

And it appears that older people are more confident in their DIY skills than younger counterparts.

While 23 per cent of over-60s believe they could relocate a light switch or plug successively, this figure drops to seven per cent for people aged between 25 and 34 years old.

What is worrying about this is that as many as 11 million people in Britain would potentially be out of pocket as they have no home contents insurance in the event of an accident or botched job, remarked Phil Southgate, media relations manager at Prudential Home Insurance.

The next bank holiday weekend starts in under three weeks time on May 26th 2007, sparking concerns that more men may attempt an unmanageable DIY job later this month.