DIY DISASTERS: 65% of DIY claims caused by decorating

• 40% of homeowners have never considered how condition of home impacts insurance
• Accidental damage claims account for 47% of all home insurance claims during the pandemic
• 44% of homeowners don’t think they’ve EVER had an electric safety check
• Admiral has produced a series of How-To videos to help homeowners tackle simple DIY tasks

The latest investigation from Admiral home insurance has revealed that decorating is the DIY activity most likely to result in an accidental damage claim, accounting for 65% of the total DIY-related claims.

Analysis of the insurance giant’s data from the last five years1 found decorating took the top spot as the most common type of claim, well ahead of other DIY activities including drilling which came in second place (10%), followed by lighting (6%) and fixtures and fittings (5%).

Homeowners who redecorate often caused havoc around the home, with 74% of decorating related claims being for accidentally spilling paint.  

Further analysis of Admiral’s data revealed that accidental damage claims accounted for 47% of all home insurance claims between 1 April 2020 and 31 March 2021, 17% higher than the same time period for the previous year2.

As lockdowns have seen an increase in homeowners undertaking more DIY projects, Admiral is reminding homeowners to take extra care to reduce the risks of accidents and costly claims.