Home insurance claims for burst pipes hit GBP27.56m

The home insurance industry has seen claims for burst pipe damage hit £27.56 million in just over a month, according to one firm.

Sainsbury's Home Insurance estimates that since December 22nd 2008, there have been 13,000 claims for such incidents.

Neil Laird, manager at the firm, warned home insurance customers not to switch their heating off if they plan on leaving their property empty during cold weather.

We have seen cases this year where people have gone away for a few days and switched their heating off and returned to terrible damage, this really is a no-no, the home insurance expert said.

People should ensure that warm water flows through their pipes every day, even if it is only for a short period, he added.

Yesterday, Darren Black, head of home insurance at Confused.com, advised people to check the details of what their policy covers and not just the price when selecting a new deal.