BIBA: Get accidental damage cover before trying DIY

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BIBA: Get accidental damage cover before trying DIY

Fri 7th Dec 2007

Homeowners should ensure they have the right insurance cover before undertaking DIY work in their property, it has been suggested.

Steve Foulsham, technical services officer for the British Insurance Brokers' Association (BIBA), commented that accidental damage cover on both building and contents insurance policies is often an optional extra.

Property owners should check their home insurance policies to ensure that they have accidental damage cover and also ensure that their DIY work is within the law, Mr Foulsham said.

Accidental damage through DIY work, such as drilling through a wall and hitting a water pipe causing water damage to a person's property, would be among the claims that could be made under the appropriate insurance scheme, he indicated.

"Most people will do a certain amount of work; so most household policies would cover that damage – assuming that you do have accidental damage cover," Mr Foulsham stated.

Close to one in five people who try to cut corners when doing home renovation work have to pay an average of £280 to a professional to fix their mistakes, according to research by insurance provider Zurich.

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