With a low temperature and ice warning in place for the entire country this weekend and sub-zero temperatures forecast into early next week, and snow and sleet forecast in some counties, the insurance broker Gallagher is warning homeowners that they could face bills running into the tens of thousands, or more, if a burst pipe causes damage to their home in the upcoming Big Freeze.
Gallagher is also urging homeowners to have an alternative heat source in their home to ensure they can stay warm during any power cut that might unfold during the cold snap.
Geraldine Kelly, head of personal lines with Gallagher, explained:
“In the extended cold snap of January 2025, 59,000 homes, businesses and farms lost power and water and many of these were unable to turn on their heating as a result. Having an alternative heating source for your home is vital during a cold snap as it will ensure you can still heat your home and stay warm when temperatures plummet.”
Burst Pipes
Gallagher is urging homeowners to check that the buildings and contents sum insured (the most a home insurer will pay out if buildings or contents are damaged or destroyed) on their home insurance policy are correct so they are covered for any damage which might be caused to their home by burst pipes - one of the most common problems during icy weather.
Where a homeowner is underinsured, they are at risk of only getting a fraction of the payout they expect from their insurer if their house is damaged during the extended cold snap, according to Ms Kelly:
“A burst pipe could cost tens of thousands of euro worth of damage if water is left running for a few hours. The situation can become even more costly if the pipe bursts while you're away from home. In such cases, you might face the expense of replacing plasterboard, walls, wardrobes, kitchen units and more. On top of that, there’s often the added cost of repairing electrical damage caused by the water.
If your home is underinsured, you could end up paying a significant portion of the repair costs out of your own pocket. This is because insurers typically reduce their payout by the percentage you’re underinsured. For example, if your home is insured for only 70% of its actual value, your insurer may only cover 70% of the repair costs, leaving you to cover the rest.
To avoid this financial headache, it’s crucial to ensure your home insurance policy provides adequate coverage. Regularly reviewing and updating your policy can help protect you from unexpected expenses in the event of a burst pipe or other emergencies.”
Flat Roofs
With snowfall expected in some counties in the coming days, Gallagher is also urging homeowners whose properties have a flat roof to ensure that their home insurer is aware that they have such a roof and to check the conditions in their home insurance policy around flat roofs.
Ms Kelly explained:
“Your insurer could refuse to cover damage caused to or by a flat roof – particularly if your roof is over a certain size or age, or made of certain construction materials, and if you do not regularly maintain it. Some home insurers don’t cover you for storm, snow or flood damage if your flat roof is more than ten years old and made of torched-on felt - or if your roof is made of any other felt and is more than five years old. Your insurer might also refuse to cover you if you don’t get your flat roof maintained by a qualified roofer or builder at least every five years. When a weather warning is issued, it is always a good idea to check your flat roof for any wear and tear or damage – and address any issues before the bad weather hits. The repair bill for damage caused by a collapsed flat roof could run into tens of thousands of euro.”
Homeowners should also check the conditions in their home insurance policy around snow damage. Ms Kelly added:
“Flat roofs can buckle under the weight of heavy snow. There can be major structural damage to your home if a tree falls on your roof in or after bad weather, or if a flat roof buckles as a result of a build-up of snow. Most home insurers will cover damage caused by snow or fallen trees – though you could get caught out by underinsurance or a lack of cover for flat roofs. It’s important to check the exact conditions of your policy around cover for any damage caused by snow ”.
Top 10 Tips To Prevent Big Freeze Damage
- Make sure the water tank and pipes in your attic are properly lagged or insulated. Don’t forget any pipes in unheated or draughty places, such as basements or garages – or outdoor pipes. Should your home have a well, make sure you have insulated any outdoor well pipes. Insulate or wrap a towel around any outside taps to prevent them from freezing.
- Repair leaking or dripping taps or pipes.
- Find out where the stopcock is – and how to use it to turn off the water supply if your pipes burst.
- Drain the water system if you've a holiday home that will be unoccupied during the winter months.
- Don’t ignore signs of excessive mould in a shower or bathroom as this could be an indication that there is a burst pipe running undetected behind your shower tiles or wall – or inside the bathroom wall.
- Run the heating for short periods to keep the pipes from freezing and to keep the water circulating, if you can. The heating does not need to be set to normal room temperature – even a temperature of 10-12 degrees will work equally well.
- Open your attic trap door to allow heat from the house to circulate through the attic.
- Pin the emergency help number for your insurer onto your notice board so that if you have an escape of water from frozen pipes, you can call-out the home emergency team straight away.
- If you do unfortunately encounter issues with burst pipes or tanks, turn the water off, contact your insurer before you pay for repairs and take pictures of the damage to support your claim. You should also let frozen pipes thaw out naturally – do not heat them prematurely as they are likely to crack.
- Have an emergency kit in your home and a fully charged mobile phone. It’s advisable that your emergency kit includes emergency contacts (including the contact number of your home insurer or insurance broker), batteries, a torch, waterproof clothes, bottled water and food. An alternative heat source (such as woodstove or fireplace) would also be advisable. Ensure your home is well ventilated and has a carbon monoxide detector.
Footnotes
[1] As per ESB Networks Press Release January 5, 2025
