Insurer reveals UK’s escape of water claims hotspots

Zurich UK has revealed that Croydon is the UK’s leakiest town with the highest number of escape of water claims.

Romford took second place, followed by Kingston Upon Thames, Motherwell and Southend-on-Sea.

Overall London lead the table of the UK’s top five leakiest cities, followed by Belfast, Newcastle, Brighton and Birmingham.

It follows the ABI citing escape of water claims costing insurers £3.9m per day, and Consumer Intelligence listing this as its “largest driver” for premiums.

The insurer’s analysis of 2017 data looked at claims for escape of water around the UK, it found that leaking pipes were responsible for the highest proportion of escape of water claims (13%), followed by leaks from flats above (11%), and burst water pipes (8%).

UK’s Top 20 leakiest towns

Most expensive

Bolton was found to have the most expensive claims with an average of £17,138, followed by Torquay (£14,383) and Llandudno (£7,353).

Damage from mains water pipes are by far the costliest with the average claims valued at £5,958.

Elsewhere in the home, it was burst water pipes which cause financial woes with an average claim of £5,637, followed by fixed water tanks (£5,404), leaking pipes (£4,244) and then malfunctioning household appliances (£3,320).

Phil Ost, home insurance expert at Zurich, said: “The country has experienced its first taste of winter with temperatures dropping well below zero. While we all wrap up against the cold it’s also worth taking a moment to think about our homes.

“Water damage, commonly arising from cracked or damaged pipes due to freezing, can prove costly; often going unnoticed and spreading though the house. Not only does this cause a dent in finances worth thousands of pounds but can also ruin valued possessions. Small steps such as insulating pipework can help prevent any watery woes.”

Zurich has recommended a list precautions such as investing in a smart water detector, insulating outdoor taps, making sure the stopcock can be turned off easily and checking the thermostat is working and set to at least 15 degrees.

Meanwhile last month, Aviva and Neos partnered to tackle water claims using smart tech.

And Azur, an AIG and Hyperion backed insurtech partnered with a German manufacturer in mid-November to help its clients avoid the stress and expense of water damage in their homes and reduce insurance premiums.