Snow and ice has hit Britain, with more expected. The insurer MORE TH>N offer the following advice on surviving the cold.
At home:
- Leave your central heating running, not on a timer, but at a constant temperature (the coldest time is between 1am and 3am). If possible, leave it running in all rooms.
- If you know you’re going to be away, either leave the heating on, or drain off your water and heating systems. If you have a property that is unoccupied, drain the system. To do this, turn off the stopcock, shut down the boiler and open all taps. If you’re unsure about the central heating, speak to a plumber. Remember to leave your insurance details with a friend or neighbour.
- Check the lagging on your pipes and water tank – pay a visit to the loft if needs be. If you have enough constant heating in the house, it will prevent the water tank from freezing. The most likely effect of the sub-zero temperatures in the home will be frozen pipes and water tanks.
- Bring pets indoors and if you have fish, leave something floating in the middle of your pond – ie a ball. When you want to get air to them, lift up the ball.
- Keep a supply of batteries, torches and provisions.
- If your home loses power – keep the freezer door shut.
All MORE TH>N customers have access to a free-phone 24 hour help-line as part of their standard home insurance policy. In the event of a household emergency customers can ring the help-line 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
Pete Markey, spokesperson for MORE TH>N comments: “We are prepared to help with the cold front with many of our staff ready to help out in the affected areas and customers can rest assured that should the worst happen, we are here to help them around the clock.”
In the car:
Cold weather can play havoc with cars. Flat batteries are the main cause (32%), followed by cars turning over but won’t start up (15%). In fact motorists are 50% more likely to breakdown in January, February and March when temperatures are often colder, than any other month of the year.
MORE TH>N’s advice to motorists during freezing weather conditions:
- During the current bad weather, only make journeys if they are absolutely necessary. You can check weather conditions through the Met Office www.metoffice.gov.uk
- Slow down during bad weather, everyone will be in a rush to get home, but breaking distances are longer during wet conditions, and even more so in ice or snow.
- If you are driving during bad weather, stick to main roads as these are more likely to be gritted or maintained than side and minor roads.
- If you have an iPhone, download MORE TH>N’s free Car Claim app. Should you have an accident it will provide you with safety tips as well as prompting you to gather the necessary information from the scene.
- During cold weather its especially important to check tyre, battery and wiper blade condition. Make sure the lights are fully functioning and double check oil and fuel levels before setting off. Tyre tread should be at the very least at 1.6mm (the legal minimum) it is best to have them at around 3mm for best grip on the roads.
- Keep water, blankets and a first aid kit in you car, for emergency situations.
- Check anti-freeze levels and carry de-icer in case the locks freeze
- For cars that are not being used that often ensure you regularly turn the engine over and keep the engine running to keep the battery energised
- If warming your car up don’t leave it unattended with the keys in the ignition. Many cars are stolen this way by opportunist thieves each year.
- Take your breakdown telephone help-line number and mobile phone with you on all journeys
- It’s also useful to keep a torch, ice scraper – and in extreme weather conditions wellington boots and a shovel in your car
Above all, Brits affected by the extreme weather circumstances should keep a close watch for further weather warnings (also announced on News-Insurances.com), and heed the advice of the emergency services.
See also :
Property owners at risk from serious water damage claims
All you need to know about flood and natural disaster insurance
