Property insurance - adequate cover is essential this winter

The recent cold snap has reminded people of the importance of property insurance.

Winter - often cold, wet and damp - is the worst time of year for things within the home to go awry, but as luck would have it, December through to February is often the period when most mishaps take place.

And with the recent cold snap wreaking havoc across homes in Britain, the importance of having adequate property insurance has once again been highlighted.

So with people keen to get their finances in order for the new year, individuals may want to make sure they have a close look at their property insurance cover to be certain they are properly protected.

And for those who find they do not have the level of cover they need, now could be the best time to sort it out.

According to the Scotsman, insurers have reported a spike in home insurance claims as the snow and ice has caused countless damage to abodes in Britain.

However, the website noted people are being advised to check their policies to make sure any rejected claims do not cause financial heartbreak.

Direct Line estimated one in every 20 homes will be adversely affected by poor weather conditions this winter, while Axa revealed claims on home insurance policies doubled in the first week of December - and around half of these instances were related to snow.

Speaking of the problems caused during freezing conditions last year, public relations manager at AA Insurance Ian Crowder stated: "Claims were primarily for burst water pipes or roof tanks. However, there was a big jump in claims for buildings damage due to snow and ice build-up."

And a spokesman for the Financial Ombudsman Service warned mishaps relating to conditions outside may not always be cut and dry when it comes to insurance.

He explained: "Sometimes people argue that damage has been a result of the weather, whereas the insurer will say the problem is one of existing wear and tear."

Meanwhile, David Pitt, operations director at RSA and More Than, said homeowners need to act to ensure any disruption caused by the cold spell is kept to a minimum.

"With arctic temperatures continuing to hit Britain over the festive period, we are urging home and business owners to take the necessary steps to protect their property, especially if it is going to be left empty during this time," he explained.

And while yuletide is often associated with bad weather, the period is also synonymous with festivities and partying, so homeowners may wish to ensure their property insurance will be of benefit if anything inside an abode was to go wrong during Christmas and New Year celebrations.

Allianz UK found teenagers have caused £14 million worth of damage at house parties organised through social networking sites such as Facebook.

Head of home and motor portfolio management at the organisation Gareth McChesney said: "Parents face tough decisions when allowing their children to host a party and it is natural to worry about the celebrations getting out of hand. However if things do go wrong, it is important to have financial protection in place to pick up any bills for damage caused."

So, it appears that essential homeowners in the UK look into getting their property insurance cover in order this winter, as the colder months - be it through adverse weather or an influx of house parties - hold within them many possibilities for accidents in the home.