Your Holiday Lodge Insurance Claim is Declined
Due to the number of Britons taking a ’staycation’ increasing (more than 12 million British holiday makers took a summer break in the UK this year, a rise of 14 per cent in the first six months compared with 2008) holiday lodge and log cabin sales in the UK are booming.
A far cry from traditional static caravan accommodation, holiday lodges are popular because they offer hi-tech gizmos combined with idyllic locations and good rental income.
But as most owners shut up their lodges for winter due to sites closing down, there is a hidden danger that could wreak havoc in their absence. Burst pipes!
The increasing threat of pipes freezing and bursting at holiday lodges
Over the last few winters we have seen an increase in the number of water damage claims at holiday lodges and log cabins. As temperatures plunge across the UK from December to February, water pipes that are exposed to sub zero temperatures freeze. When they begin to thaw, they often fracture and burst, causing substantial damage to carpets and furnishings in lodges.
Unfortunately, it is only when holiday lodge owners return to the devastation caused by water damage and contact their insurer, they discover that their holiday lodge insurance is inadequate.
Policy exclusions that could result in your claim being declined
Due to holiday lodges being vulnerable to water damage following burst pipes, many log cabin insurance policies include terms in the policy small print. Failure to meet the terms could result in your claim being declined.
Some common ones include:
- Between certain winter months, usually November to March, loss or damage caused by frost/freezing whilst the lodge is unoccupied is excluded, unless the temperature is maintained to a specified temperature or the water supply is shut off and fixed water tanks, apparatus and pipes are drained.
- Daily inspection should also occur during the winter months.
- It is also worth noting any increased excesses (in some cases up to £500) following burst pipe claims when unoccupied.
We understand that cold snaps can happen suddenly, and you don’t want to be left uninsured due to an unfamiliar clause in your policy small print.
That’s why our UK holiday home insurance doesn’t include such heating or draining down terms. For peace of mind, we provide wide burst pipe cover whilst lodges are left empty.