AXA warns of 'misconceptions' over home cover

Six out of 10 homeowners make wrong assumptions about the cover provided against stormy weather, an AXA survey on winter claims has revealed.

The insurer said that every year it turned away about one in 20 storm damage claims because the damage had been caused by a lack of maintenance of the policyholder’s home and not by the weather.

But research among homeowners reveals that nearly two-thirds (59%) would expect their insurer to pay out for any weather-related damage to their home no matter what the state of its repair.

Almost one-quarter (23%) believe that a home insurance policy is there to pick up any sort of structural damage caused by general wear and tear.

AXA Insurance personal direct and partnerships household underwriting manager James Barclay said: “Misconceptions about home insurance cover is an industry-wide problem that causes a lot of heartache for consumers and a lot of problems for insurers, particularly during the winter weather.

“Consumers need to understand that an insurance policy is there to protect customers’ homes against the unexpected and not cover for general wear and tear. There are some claims that we simply have to turn away as they are caused by obvious neglect and lack of investment in the property rather than the weather.”

He added: “While it may seem expensive to get your roof repaired or a crack in the wall fixed, the potential cost of an unpaid insurance claim is a lot higher.”