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January 2007 Press Releases

UK Homes Suffer The Big Freeze (26th January)Pond Parties, Decorating Dogs And Speed Camera Revenge…All In A Day’s Work For An Insurance Claims Handler (8th January)

UK Homes Suffer The Big Freeze (26th January)

As the UK shivers under snow and ice, Lloyds TSB Insurance warns that the big freeze has caught many homeowners unprepared. With periods of extreme weather becoming more common, the insurer predicts a 15 per cent increase in burst pipe claims during the first quarter of 2007.If you’re not insured, burst pipes can be expensive with claims on average costing £2,500, while the most expensive claim met by Lloyds TSB Insurance topped £156,000 for a particularly troublesome burst.Lloyds TSB Insurance has the following advice to help homeowners shield their property from the cold weather and avoid unnecessary damage: 
• Locate your stopcock, gas valve and ball valves - so you know where they are if a problem occurs• Store a torch with spare batteries in a safe, but accessible place, with a list of telephone numbers such as a plumber, heating engineer, glazier, electrician, roofing contractor• If you are going away on holiday, leave your heating on low for a short time each day to avoid pipes freezing• Keep drain gratings, gutters and down pipes free of leaves and debris• Insulate outside stand pipes, taps, lag pipes and tanks in your loft• Have chimneys swept and heating appliances serviced• Repair broken fences, gates and boundary walls
 Have the number of your insurer to hand, in case the worst happens. If you are away, give your insurance details to a trusted neighbour. Some insurers, like Lloyds TSB, give you helpline numbers to make a claim or to call for 24 hour emergency assistance.Phil Loney, managing director of Lloyds TSB Insurance, said: "So far this winter we’ve had relatively mild weather so many homeowners were caught unprepared for this cold snap. A little bit of effort now could save you a lot of wasted time and stress caused byproblems such as burst pipes or broken boilers. To give yourself piece of mind, make sure you have adequate home insurance that will cover you if the icy conditions do take their toll."For more information about Lloyds TSB Home Insurance visit www.lloydstsbinsurance.co.uk or your local branch of Lloyds TSB. For further information:
Eleanor Hughes
Lloyds TSB Press Office
Tel: 0207 356 1714
e-mail: eleanor.hughes@lloydstsb.co.uk
www.mediacentre.lloydstsb.com

You can also view the above article via PDF...Press Release 26 January 2007Back to Top

Pond Parties, Decorating Dogs And Speed Camera Revenge…All In A Day’s Work For An Insurance Claims Handler (8th January)

Lloyds TSB Insurance unveils the quirkiest claims of 2006Working for Britain’s most popular home insurer*, Lloyds TSB Insurance claims advisers are accustomed to receiving unusual and in some cases novel insurance claims. However, as the insurer’s annual round up of quirky claims demonstrates, 2006 saw more than a few raised eyebrows in the office.The quirkiest household claims of 2006 include:
• Party in the pond: It was fishy business when a customer’s digital radio took a surprise dip in the garden pond after his granddaughter tried to ‘play music to the fish to make them dance’.• Bubbling BBQ: An afternoon BBQ resulted in more than just the burgers being charred as the heat from a disposable BBQ tray melted a hole through the asphalt on a roof terrace.• Just when you thought it was safe…: An over exuberant pool shot sent a ball flying from a pool table and over a balcony only to smash a goldfish bowl below. No need to panic though. Swift intervention from the goldfish’s owners meant that "Jaws" lived to tell the tale.• Decorating dog: Eat your heart out Rolf. A Labrador left ‘home alone’, brushed his tail into a discarded painting tray and wagged white emulsion across the living room. Indeed, pets are frequent stars on Lloyds TSB Insurance claims forms. As well as the usual canine and feline culprits, 2006 also saw cameo roles for hamsters, rabbits and even a flock of chickens, all of which debuted in a variety of claims.
Another item that featured heavily on claims forms in 2006 is the iPOD, with a growing number of us dropping our personal MP3 players down the toilet, in the bath, and even giving them a spin in the washing machine.Of course, quirky claims aren’t just limited to the home. The following gems were discovered amongst Lloyds TSB motor insurance claims last year:
• Doors wide open: One driver damaged his left rear passenger door as he turned into his driveway. He’d driven the 10 minute journey from a friend’s house with both rear passenger doors open.• Revenge is not so sweet: One driver sought revenge on a speed camera by crashing into it…unfortunately, he also wrote off his car. The motorist maintains that it was an accident.• Hitting the wall: A driver had a nasty shock when starting his automatic car for the first time since returning from holiday, the accelerator peddle got stuck and he reversed through a garden wall and down a hill.
Phil Loney, managing director, Lloyds TSB Insurance said:"We may try and anticipate accidents to help make our lives as safe as possible, yet as our postbag shows, we cannot prevent all accidents from happening, no matter how careful we are. It’s often a question of being sensible, carrying out maintenance to your home and ensuring that you have a good understanding of what your insurance policydoes and doesn’t cover. All this can help to give you piece of mind when life is being unpredictable around you."Visit the Lloyds TSB Insurance website for more information on – www.lloydstsbinsurance.co.uk or telephone 0800 056 0114.* Britain's most popular home insurance provider defined as holding the highest market share of home insurance policies. Based on 35,168 adults. GfK's FRS survey, 12 months ending December 2006 © GfK NOP Limited. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
For further information:
Eleanor Hughes
Lloyds TSB Press Office
Tel: 020 7356 1714
eleanor.hughes@lloydstsb.co.uk
www.mediacentre.lloydstsb.com

You can also view the above article via PDF...Press Release 08 January 2007Back to TopBack to Media Centre 

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