Check your home this Fire Safety Week

Bonfire night may have been and gone but there are plenty of fireworks still going off every night, and fire hazards remain a major risk.

According to figures from the Association of British Insurers (ABI), 200 homes a day are damaged by fires.

For that reason, November 14 to 21 has been declared as Fire Safety Week.

Organised by the Fire Protection Association and first held in 1975, Fire Safety Week is aimed at drawing attention to fire risks by bringing local fire brigades and the communities they serve together.

Halifax Home Insurance is joining in, by urging householders to conduct a fire safety check on their homes.

Measures people can take to cut their risk of a fire breaking out or being harmed if a fire does occur through simple measures like leaving internal doors closed at night, ensuring exits are clear, making sure all electrical wiring is in good condition and not smoking in bed.

Vicky Emmott of Halifax Home Insurance said: “With 200 house fires happening every day, there’s definitely more that could be being done to protect people’s homes and families from the risks of fire. We are urging all householders to spend a bit of time during Fire Safety Week checking their homes and improving fire safety measures.”

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Holidaymakers miss home within 10 days

Brits holidaying abroad begin to miss home within nine to ten days of arriving at their destination.

That is according to new research by Halifax Travel Insurance which shows that holidaying Britons often take a number of ‘British’ items abroad with them to remind them of home.

The top items include teabags, British beer, cornflakes, ketchup and biscuits but many holidaymakers also pack DVDs of British shows as they are not keen on the prospect of foreign TV.

According to Halifax, this could potentially lead to financial loss for many if their travel insurance policy does not cover the loss or damage of these things.

In addition, many travellers could get themselves into trouble by not checking regulations in particular countries regarding the importation of specific items.

“Holidaymakers who do not check regulations regarding the importation of food and drink into a country could find items being confiscated and destroyed,” said Vicky Emmott from Halifax Travel Insurance.

“Visiting the FCO [Foreign and Commonwealth Office] website before departure can help travellers avoid delays and incidents when taking consumables abroad.

“Travellers taking expensive DVDs and music abroad should also ensure that it is adequately covered should it be damaged in transit or stolen,” she added.

The research showed that people from Wales, the Midlands and eastern England are the most likely to miss home while abroad.

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Cold snap may cause chaos

If you have already put away your winter coat for the year you may find yourself caught short as the Met Office warns that a cold snap is fast approaching.

Freezing temperatures, wind and snow are expected and, aside from having to get our coats out again, we are being warned that our homes may suffer with the weather.

Halifax is warning that we may suffer damage to our homes as the temperature changes, particularly with burst water pipes causing problems.

The cold can lead to water inside exposed pipes freezing and expanding, leading to cracks which will leak water once the ice thaws.

“A sudden unseasonal drop in temperature can wreak havoc on people’s homes and gardens if they are unprepared for it,” warned Vicky Emmott from Halifax Home Insurance.

“Water from a burst pipe in a loft space can very quickly cause damage to plaster ceilings, walls, kitchen units, electrical wiring and decoration.”

We are being advised to get a home insurance policy so that we are covered in the event of a disaster and Ms Emmott also has some handy tips to prevent the worst happening in the first place.

She says that we should insulate any exposed pipes, ensure loft insulation is placed above water tanks and leave the loft open if going away.

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