19
Nov
Major renovations 'can invalidate home insurance policies'
Homeowners should check their home insurance before undertaking any
major renovation work or risk invalidating their policy, an
insurance provider has warned.
Research from Fair Investment Company reveals that two in three
people are unaware that their insurance company may need to be
notified before starting large-scale home improvements, such as
loft conversions.
James Caldwell, director of Fair Investment Company, comments:
"Britain’s love of DIY can spell disaster for some home
owners if they neglect to tell their insurers of the changes they
have made.
"Whether it’s knocking down a wall, adding an extension or
simply replacing the windows, you could end up out of pocket if you
press ahead with the work before informing your insurer. For the
time it takes to make the call, it is certainly worth the effort
and could save you a hefty bill if things go wrong."
The warning comes in the wake of a separate survey from the English
Home Condition Survey, which showed that the condition of 27.1 per
cent of privately-owned homes has been allowed to deteriorate to
such an extent that they require around £7,500 to be spent on
improvements.
