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Your excess

If you need to make a home insurance claim this winter, you'll have to pay an excess.

There's compulsory excess and voluntary excess. Compulsory excess is the set amount of money you have to pay when making a claim.

Voluntary excess is an amount chosen by you which you pay on top of your compulsory excess.

For example, if you have a compulsory excess of £250 and you set your voluntary excess at £150, you'll pay £400 in total if you need to make a claim.

The higher your voluntary excess is, the lower your monthly payments will be. When choosing your voluntary excess, make sure it's a price you can afford if you need to make a claim.

You can find your voluntary excess in your policy schedule, which you can access in MyAccount.

Your compulsory excesses are:

Excess type Buildings Compulsory Contents Compulsory
Flood £250 £250
Escape of Water £500 £500
Storm £100 £100
Other buildings claims £100 £100

If you're claiming for both buildings and contents, you'll only pay one excess for the claim. This is calculated using the largest excess value from the buildings or contents table above.

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How to insulate your home

One of the most reliable ways to keep your home prepped for winter is to insulate your home correctly. It could also save you money.

Fit an insulating jacket

For instance, fitting an insulating jacket over your water tank only costs about £20, but could save you up to £250 a year in energy bills if you live in a flat according to the Energy Saving Trust. If you live in a terraced house, you could save £225.

Insulate your attic and walls

Invest in good loft and wall cavity insulation. You can get some government grants that pay for the installation. By taking these steps you can help prevent damp problems.

Use draught excluders

Stop heat escaping windows, doors and chimneys by sealing gaps with adhesive tape or draught excluders.

Lag your pipes

Insulating your pipes with tubing is known as 'lagging'. It helps prevent freezing pipes.

Bleed your radiators

Air can enter your radiator system and form bubbles, which stops them from working properly. Bleeding your radiators can fix this - watch our video guide below.

Use soft furnishings in your home

Curtains and rugs can help warm your home, preventing heat from escaping through doors and windows.

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How to prevent frozen pipes

You can stop your pipes from freezing this winter in a few ways.

Know where your stopcock is

You should always be aware of where your stopcock is in your home: this is where you can turn off your mains water if you need to.

Your pipes are more likely to freeze if your home is left empty - so you should turn off your mains water if you're going to leave your property unoccupied.

Lag your pipes

Lagging means insulating your accessible pipes with tubing. You can often do it yourself at home.

It's best to focus on hot water pipes from your boiler or cylinder for winter.

Check and fix leaks

Drips and leaks from your pipes increase the chance of your pipes freezing, so it's important to keep an eye out for them and fix them immediately.

Bleed your radiators

This will improve the efficiency of your boiler, meaning your pipes are less likely to freeze.

Watch our video guide on how to bleed your radiators below.

Drain your systems

If you're going away for an extended period over winter, drain your systems first.

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How to prepare your boiler for winter

You should maintain your boiler all year round so it can withstand any strain in colder months. But in the build-up to winter, here are some things you can do to prepare it.

Read our guide on how to prepare your boiler for winter for more information.

Test your boiler

Run your boiler for 10-15 minutes in the warmer months to maintain it and make sure it's in working order.

Get regular servicing

All boiler manufacturers recommend that you get annual servicing for your boiler to prevent any unexpected issues.

Bleed your radiators

Bleeding radiators release excess air and makes your boiler work more efficiently.

Watch our video guide on how to bleed your radiators below.

Consider getting Home Emergency cover

Home Emergency cover comes as standard on our Platinum policies and can be added to Admiral or Gold policies.

It protects you against unexpected incidents in your home, including issues with your boiler, hot water or central heating.

It covers temporary heating and alternative accommodation, as well as the callout of a professional.

Admiral Gold customers have Boiler Emergency cover as standard, which protects you if your heating system completely breaks down.

Freeze Hub

Protect your cosy place from the colder months

Find out how to prepare your home for winter and what your Home Insurance covers you for.

Make a claim
Home Insurance

We know keeping your home safe and warm this winter is important to you. This guide covers everything from preparing your home for extreme weather in the winter months, to what your home insurance covers if you need to make a claim.

What to do in the immediate event of freezing weather

Freezing temperatures can affect your home in lots of ways. We've broken down some common cold weather issues and what to do if you're faced with them.

I have a leak, what do I do?

My boiler pipes have frozen, what do I do?

My pipes have burst, what do I do?

Am I covered for freezing weather damage?

We've outlined what you'll be covered for below if your home is affected by freezing temperatures and cold weather events.

This may differ depending on whether you have Buildings, Contents or Combined Home Insurance.

Combined Insurance Buildings Insurance Contents Insurance

Combined Insurance

Combined Insurance covers both the structure of your home and the contents inside.

What we cover

Escape of water

We'll cover you for damage caused by leaks from fixed water tanks, water pipes, fixed central heating systems and domestic appliances.

Frost damage to plumbing

This includes damage to any part of the pipes and plumbing inside your home because of freezing.

Trace and access

This means the cost of removing and replacing any part of your building's structure to find where a water or oil leak is coming from. Read our trace and access guide.

Trace and access is covered on Gold and Platinum policies, not Admiral tier.

What we don't cover

Damage caused by faulty grout or sealant

We don't cover repair costs for any escape of water that's been caused by poor grout or sealant. This is because you're expected to keep your home in good condition through regular maintenance.

Damage in unoccupied homes

We don't cover costs for any leaks that happens when your home has been unoccupied for more than 60 days.

If you're going to be away for longer, you might be able to extend your cover up to 120 days. Contact us to discuss your options.

Frost damage to external pipes

Damage to plumbing outside or in outbuildings isn't covered.

Taps being left on

We don't cover any damage caused by water overflowing due to taps intentionally being left on. This may be covered if you have bought Accidental Damage cover.

Buildings Insurance

Buildings Insurance covers repair costs for your home including garages, outbuildings, and anything permanently fixed.

What we cover

Escape of water

We'll cover you for damage caused by leaks from fixed water tanks, water pipes, fixed central heating systems and domestic appliances.

Frost damage to plumbing

This includes damage to any part of the pipes and plumbing inside your home because of freezing.

Trace and access

This means the cost of removing and replacing any part of your building's structure to find where a water or oil leak is coming from. Read our trace and access guide.

Trace and access is covered on Gold and Platinum policies, not Admiral level.

What we don't cover

Damage caused by faulty grout or sealant

We don't cover repair costs for any escape of water that's been caused by poor grout or sealant. This is because you're expected to keep your home in good condition through regular maintenance.

Damage in unoccupied homes

We don't cover costs for any leaks that happens when your home has been unoccupied for more than 60 days.

If you're going to be away for longer, you might be able to extend your cover up to 120 days. Contact us to discuss your options.

Frost damage to external pipes

Damage to plumbing outside or in outbuildings isn't covered.

Contents Insurance

Contents Insurance protects the belongings inside your home.

What we cover

Escape of water

We'll cover you for damage caused by leaks from fixed water tanks, water pipes, fixed central heating systems and domestic appliances.

What we don't cover

Damage caused by faulty grout or sealant

We won't cover repair costs for any escape of water that's been caused by poor grout or sealant.

External pipes

Any damage caused by escape of water or leaks from external pipes that are above ground.

Damage in unoccupied homes

We don't cover costs for any leaks that happens when your home has been unoccupied for more than 60 days.

If you're going to be away for longer, you might be able to extend your cover up to 120 days. Contact us to discuss your options.

Taps being left on

We don't cover any damage caused by water overflowing due to taps intentionally being left on. This may be covered if you have bought Accidental Damage cover.

It's important to keep your home in a good state of repair all year round. Read our guide on home maintenance for some advice on how to do this.

Find out more about excess

How to claim on your home insurance

Follow these steps if you need to claim for any damage caused to your home by freezing weather conditions.

Read your policy documents

Find out your excess and what you're covered for

Collect your evidence

Get any photos and documents ready which show the damage

Make your claim

Head to MyAccount to register your claim

Policy documents

You'll need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view these files. You can download it for free from the Adobe website.

How to prepare your home for winter

Whether there's an official freeze warning or not, it's important to be proactive and prepare your home for winter. Here are a few ways you can do this:

Unoccupied properties

We don't cover unoccupied properties. If you're going to be away for more than 60 days, please let us know so we can discuss your cover with you.

Leaving your home in winter

If you’re leaving your property unoccupied, it’s a good idea to:

  • turn off the water supply at the mains and drain the system
  • leave your boiler on a low temperature, or on frost protection setting if you have it
  • make sure all accessible water pipes and tanks are lagged
  • install a water cut off valve – this device automatically cuts off the supply of water if a leak or burst pipe is detected

All of these measures mean your home stays safe even if you’re not always there to keep an eye on it. Read our guide on protecting your empty home whilst you’re away.

Home insurance glossary

We want you to understand your policy inside out. Here are some key terms about home insurance and what they mean.

Escape of water

Escape of water means water leaking from the mains supply in your home.

The most common cause is burst pipes, usually in cold temperatures. Read our guide on escape of water.

Trace and access

Trace and access cover means finding the source of a water or oil leak and exposing it for repair. It covers the cost to remove and replace parts of building when attempting to find the source of a leak.

People often misunderstand the difference between trace and access and home emergency cover.

Here’s an example to explain the difference:

If your toilet starts leaking, call the home emergency helpline, who’ll arrange for a tradesperson to stop the leak temporarily. That tradesman won’t find out where it’s coming from or repair any damage caused by it.

You can use your policy documents to check whether you have trace and access cover and if yes, what your policy limits are.

Read our guide on trace and access cover.

Excess

Excess is the amount of money you pay to your insurance provider if you need to make a claim on your home insurance.

There is a compulsory excess and a voluntary excess.

Compulsory excess is the set amount of money you have to pay to make a claim.

Voluntary excess is an amount chosen by you which you pay on top of your compulsory excess.

For example, if you have a compulsory excess of £250 and you set your voluntary excess at £150, you'll pay £400 in total if you need to make a claim.

The higher your voluntary excess is, the lower your monthly payments will be. When choosing your voluntary excess, make sure it's a price you can afford if you need to make a claim.

Wear and tear

When we say wear and tear, we mean any damage that happens gradually over time. This includes:

  • wet and dry rot
  • damage due to extended exposure to sunlight
  • settlement
  • mildew
  • rust
  • corrosion

For instance, you wouldn't be covered for your window frames gradually rotting away, or for slipped or cracked roof tiles.

Insurers expect you to try and keep your home in a good state of repair all year round.

Need more?

Home Emergency cover

Arranges for a tradesperson to make your home safe and secure

More about emergency cover

Met Office weather alerts

Check weather warnings for your region

Met Office

Weather warnings explained

Read our guide on different winter storm warnings

Find out more

Storm Hub

What to do during and after a storm

Storm weather hub
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