DIY disasters expected to soar during Easter holiday

Insurers are braced for a surge in home insurance claims after next weekend’s Easter bank holidays as homeowners take on domestic DIY jobs.

More than a quarter of Scots have done DIY on a bank holiday weekend over the last year, but many have had to make a claim on their insurance after their efforts went awry, according to newsurvey results.

Almost a third of Scots consider themselves “excellent” at DIY, a survey by Allianz Your Cover Insurance found, yet one in ten have caused damage to their homes in carrying out work.

DIY disasters cost Britons £4.4 billion a year to put right, Allianz claimed. It said more people are taking on jobs themselves in a bid to cut costs or because they can’t afford to pay specialists to do the work.

Spilled paint or glue, damaged walls, furniture and ceilings and broken windows are the most common accidents.

Andy James, of Allianz Your Cover, said: “A little knowledge can be a dangerous thing, so people should check they have adequate insurance to cover DIY damage, so it doesn’t cost more in the long run.”