Published: 08/02/2010

With the Met Office forecasting plummeting temperatures again this week, AXA is warning people to make sure they take precautions to avoid the misery of a burst pipe.

Statistics from AXA show that during the last couple of months, claims for ‘escape of water' escalated as homeowners faced up to the damage caused by pipes bursting as a result of the freezing weather.  The company has already seen hundreds of claims with average damage costing around £30,000.  The biggest claims have seen houses totally destroyed with costs reaching hundreds of thousands of pounds. And for the 20% of households who have no cover for contents, this could have much more serious repercussions.

The most consistent factor behind these losses is householders who have gone away without taking any precautions.  Even a day or two away can have devastating effects if sensible measures aren't taken.

Research from the company suggests people really don't understand the risks. Only 8% are concerned that a burst pipe might be a problem while away on holiday over the winter period and only one in three (38%) people will take even the most basic of precautions such as leaving the heating on.