- Unruly wildlife has caused more than one home insurance claim in recent years
- So has bad weather – with one homeowner seeing their shed totally blow away
- Another claimed after their baby ruined their sofa by being ‘violently’ sick on it
Badgers wrecking garages and pigeons breaking patio doors are among the strangest home insurance claims of the past five years, according to price comparison website Confused.com.
Most home insurance payouts are caused by accidental damage, and there are some truly unusual claims.
One unfortunate person saw a badger tunnelling under their garage, causing it to subside, according to Confused data.
And another unlucky home insurance customer said an even unluckier pigeon flew into their patio doors, causing the glass to break.
Another saw their shed blow away entirely due to strong winds.
Bottled it: Accidental damage causes most home insurance claims, according to Confused
Meanwhile, one parent reported their sofa was ruined after their baby was ‘violently’ sick all over it, in a scene they can only describe as ‘disgusting’.
Insurers have paid out more than £4.1million for accidentally defrosted food over the past five years, with 200 claims being made for TV aerials that had fallen off a roof.
However, most insurance claims are for less unusual events – and it is worth being aware of what these are.
What causes the most insurance claims?
Confused said that 21 per cent of claims were for accidental damage, 18 per cent for escape of water, 12 per cent for broken fridges and freezers, 11 per cent for storm damage and theft respectively, and 7 per cent for flooding.
Although not the most common claim, water damage is the costliest problem that can happen to a home.
Confused said insurers have paid out more than £1.7 billion in water damage claims in the past five years alone.
More than £76million was also claimed for escape of water due to freezing, which includes burst pipes.
Most damage claims related to damage inflicted on carpets (27 per cent), interior walls (23 per cent) and food (21 per cent).
But rooves (18 per cent) and garden items (18 per cent) were not too far behind. The average value of damage claims amounted to £284.
Even though a home insurance policy isn’t a legal requirement, the majority (86 per cent of 2,000 surveyed) said they have at least a buildings or contents policy in place.
Matthew Harwood, home insurance expert at Confused, said: ‘Our latest research reveals some of the very interesting reasons why people have needed to lean on their home insurance provider.
‘There are also times when you won’t need to claim on your insurance. For example, if the cost of the repair is cheaper than your total excess amount.
‘But the main thing to consider when taking out a policy is whether it will cover you in the event of needing to make a claim.
‘You want to make sure that you’re paying for the right level of cover. This is important if you live in an area of the UK prone to stormy weather, or live in an older home that could use TLC.’