18th March, 2022

‘Enthusiastic amateurs’ who make a mess of ambitious home improvement projects and fail to inform their insurer afterwards could run the risk of leaving themselves without cover.

With users looking to go viral through the means of TikTok and Instagram, social media has swiftly become the most popular source of DIY advice as people get ready to share their hints and tips.

Whilst we’ve all been tempted to latch onto a growing trend, or mirror a life hack we thought looked so ‘easy’ online – does it ever really work out?

Research suggests that in most cases it doesn’t.

According to Halifax, an impressive 69% of those trying to replicate a hack they’ve seen online have ended up getting more than they bargained for.

Their research showed 40% of internet-inspired handymen failed to ask their insurance provider for help after a project went awry which led to financial implications for some. A quarter (27%) of those who messed up had to pay out more by replacing damaged items, while 25% were obliged to hire professionals to rectify their mistakes.

But, why was it so costly?

Nearly one in five (18%) respondents didn’t think their insurance provider would compensate them for their blunders, and 22% feared reporting a mistake could drive up their premiums.
The truth is, some could have been covered by their insurance.

Smaller, more cosmetic blunders – such as spilling a tin of paint whilst renovating an old piece of furniture or accidentally drilling through a pipe whilst putting up wood panelling, are likely to be covered as accidental damage (though this can vary from insurer to insurer).

Ideally, you should always do your research, take precautions or even hire a professional to do the cosmetic work for you. But, if in a bid to save money, you attempt a DIY job and it does go wrong, it’s well worth checking if you have accidental cover as you may well be insured for your mistakes. If you have any questions, you can always contact us (or your insurance provider if you aren’t insured through us) for further information.

Here at One Call Insurance, approximately 21% of our home insurance providers offer accidental damage cover as standard. The majority of the other providers offer accidental damage as an optional extra.

If you’re an existing One Call Insurance customer and you’re not sure if you have accidental damage cover, please check your policy documents in your account on our customer portal. Alternatively, feel free to speak with a member of our team via live chat.

If your DIY project is on the more ambitious side and goes beyond cosmetic changes - it’s particularly important to inform us via live chat (or your insurance provider if you aren’t insured through us) before you make structural changes to your property, such as adding an extension, knocking down walls, converting the loft or if you are having a new kitchen or bathroom installed. Otherwise your policy could be invalidated and you may be unable to claim on your insurance if something goes wrong.

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* Please note that the above information has been gathered through secondary research. The information provided is not based on our opinion. You should seek further guidance and information before making an informed decision.