NHIC offers home insurance reminder

Posted: 03 Jul 2009 10:39:34 GMT

British consumers getting involved in property development and other DIY tasks have been warned about the insurance implications.

Any bodged jobs could result in structural damage to a home, which may not be covered by some policies, according to National Home Improvement Council (NHIC) director Andrew Leech.

He said: "[If] you find that big chunks of it are falling down because you've removed certain parts such as lintels over doors and windows ... then if you wanted to claim insurance, the insurance company wouldn't give it a second thought."

Using professionals for big property development tasks will be beneficial for two main reasons, Mr Leech added, as they will have their own insurance policies and they are also likely to do a better job than the average homeowner.

Despite this advice, Sainsbury's Home Insurance recently reported that 65 per cent of British adults attempted DIY tasks themselves between April 2008 and April 2009.

By opting to conduct work themselves, British people apparently saved around £49 billion.



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