27th February 2018. In light of the severe weather warnings for the days ahead, Insurance Ireland has advised householders on steps to take to minimise the risk of damage from burst pipes, as well as advice for motorists regarding their cover during severe weather events.

For households

• Keep your heating on at regular intervals and make sure to set it on a timer if you are going away.
• Householders should make sure they know where the mains water supply valve is located. If you cannot locate it, ask a neighbour or seek advice from a plumber.
• If your pipes freeze, turn the water off at the mains and call a plumber for further guidance.
• Move any possessions, such as furniture, away from frozen pipes in case the pipes burst.
• If a pipe bursts, turn off the water at the mains. Switch off central heating and any other water heating installations.
• Contact your insurance company helpline for help and advice, including arranging for professional repairs to be carried out.

If a policyholder suffers property damage they should be aware of the following:

• Household buildings and contents insurance will cover damage caused by a freeze.
• Insurers will usually pay for the cost of temporary repairs, so please keep receipts.
• Insurers will also usually pay for the cost of alternative accommodation, if the home becomes uninhabitable (to stated limits).
• Householders should check the full extent of their policies and contact their insurer or broker as quickly as possible.

Motor Insurance

Insurance Ireland advises motorists to heed the weather warnings in place from the authorities and take all reasonable precautions.

Motor insurance cover applies as normal in extreme weather as your legal liability to others is covered by all policies. Damage to cars caused by severe weather is covered by comprehensive motor insurance policies. Third party fire and theft policies cover motorists for damage to other cars in the event of an accident, injury to other people, or damage to your car in the event of a fire or theft.  

For home insurance, the following are the contact details for Insurance Ireland member companies:

INSURANCE IRELAND MEMBER COMPANY HELPLINES

AIG 01 859 9700

ALLIANZ 1890 779 999

AVIVA 1890 666 888

AXA 1890 247 365

ECCLESIASTICAL 01 619 0300 (Out of Hours – 01 408 1820)

FBD 1890 953 953

LIBERTY 1850 858 530

123.ie Claims 1890 200 123 

ZURICH 1890 208 408