The winter period each year sees a significant peak in the number of home insurance claims. This is due to the classic weather induced problems like burst pipes, broken down boilers, and thefts caused by the dark evenings and lack of pedestrians out on the streets. If you were thinking of taking out a policy or increasing your level of cover, but have been lucky enough to get through the worst of the cold snap this year without significant damage to your home, you could be forgiven for thinking that you will be safe until the end of autumn comes round again. Sadly this is just wishful thinking, as numerous threats could be waiting to strike your home even as the milder weather and brighter evenings raise the spirits.

Unpredictable patterns

Global warming has completely changed weather patterns around the world, and our own country is unfortunately no exception. Unseasonal warm spells followed by heavy snow, as late as April or as early as November have been occurring with a frequency too common to ignore. The rise in sea and river levels have made flooding a distinct threat in regions that have never previously had cause for concern, and the after effects of distant hurricanes give us strong winds that leave a trail of felled trees and broken roof-tiles in their wake. The only approach that can be relied upon in these uncertain times is to expect the unexpected.

Nobody home

As well as the traditional summer break, many people are taking advantage of discounted air travel to take more than one holiday per year. Burglars operate in both a planned [researching and taking note of when your house is unoccupied] and unplanned, opportunistic ways. Both types of criminal thrive on finding a house that shows signs of the residents being away for a while, so take extra care when planning a holiday this year and look for buildings and contents insurance quotes before packing your bags.

Malicious intentions

The combination of a poor economic situation, ongoing warfare around the world and a growing global sense of dissatisfaction with the financial elite has led to a series of isolated, but devastating incidents in our country over the last few years that have been impossible to plan for in any conventional sense. Nobody could have predicted last summer's riots for example, or any of the terrorist attacks that have slipped through our security networks. These can have tragic consequences on a number of levels, not least to those who are devastated by the loss of their homes and businesses. Nobody wants to live in fear of such danger, and perhaps the best way to set your mind at rest is to make sure that you are covered by a trusted household name like AXA Insurance.