Matthew Cass, of specialist park home, holiday caravan and lodge insurance broker, Parksure, offers his general maintenance tips for winter…
Some people are under the mistaken belief that insurance will cover them for things that simply break down or wear out. This is normally not the case. Insurance is there to cover the unforeseen; not the inevitable. You might not be able to claim unless you maintain!
If you don’t look after something it will eventually break down; this is a fact and chances are that you will not be covered if you do not carry out basic maintenance or reasonable precautions.
Appreciate that your insurers will pay for unexpected events such as fires or flooding but expect problems if you leave the front door unlocked or don’t clean your gutters out or in the case of Holiday Homes, close it down properly for the winter or closed period!
This is the point of this guide: to give you advice on just what to do to take care of your home and hopefully spot and fix issues before they become a problem or a claim.
Winter is coming!
And with winter comes the cold weather and the likelihood of frost which can cause problems for you and your property and prove costly and inconvenient. Keep reading to find out more about the possible issues and how you can protect your property.
Burst pipes
Just a small fracture in your pipes can release gallons of water, causing extensive damage to your park home, holiday lodge or static caravan.
Protecting your property during freezing conditions is imperative. In fact, some insurance policies insist that you take steps to protect your home before the winter period (especially true of static caravans and holiday lodge insurers).
Preventative measures
Check your insurance policy wording to see what is expected of you during the winter period to prevent potential problems and make sure that you are covered by your insurance should the worst occur. Some insurers do not cover frost damage at all; so it is especially important for you to take precautions if this is the case.
Make sure that the boiler and central heating system are serviced regularly and check that the thermostat is working properly. Our residential park home/mobile home policy covers you for boiler breakdown (many do not) but only if the boiler is serviced annually.
Ensure you know where to turn off the water supply. Check the insulation on your water pipes; those in vulnerable areas should be lagged or similarly protected. Make sure any external taps are turned off and disconnect any hoses.
Keep gutters, gullies and drains clear. Check your gutters, hoppers and downpipes regularly for blockages so that they can carry water away quickly and efficiently. If they are not maintained, blockages will occur and any trapped water may crack or shatter the downpipe if it freezes.
Call Parksure to discuss this, or to obtain an insurance quotation on FREE PHONE 0800 731 9583 or visit www.parksure.com.
Read the full report in the November 2021 issue of Park Home & Holiday Caravan
