Cost of home insurance claims increases 50% in 3 years, new data reveals

• The South East recorded the highest number of claims (15,964), while Wales had the highest average cost per claim (£20,835).
• Escape of water is the most common claim type, with 24,102 claims recorded and costing an average of £5,708 per incident.
• Claims peak during colder months, particularly in January, February and November.
• Confused.com has launched a Home Claims Heat Map, helping residents see which UK regions experience the most claims and which are the most expensive too.

The average cost of a home insurance claim has increased by 50% across the UK between 2021 and 2024. New data from Confused.com home insurance highlights where UK residents are most likely to make a claim and how much those claims are costing.

Between 2021 and 2024, homeowners and renters nationwide made a total of 83,171 claims, amounting to £434 million in payouts. Over this period, the average cost per claim increased by almost 50%, rising from £3,928 to £5,886. Rising UK inflation rates and the growing impact of severe weather damage linked to climate change have both contributed significantly to the surge in claims costs.

The South East tops the list for total claims, with 15,964, followed by the North West (9,037) and East of England (9,018). However, it’s Wales that records the highest average cost per claim, at £20,835. The next highest averages are seen in Northern Ireland (£8,075) and London (£7,098). Whereas, the North East (£2,653) and Yorkshire & the Humber (£3,512) see the lowest average payouts.

UK Regional Breakdown

While regional claims vary, the data also highlights how certain claim types could dominate the overall picture. Escape of water is the most common category, accounting for nearly 1 in 3 claims (29%) and total payout value of £163.6 million across the period. This is followed by accidental loss or damage in the home, which made up over 1 in 4 (27%) of all claims with a total payout value of £35.2 million.

Most common claim types

However, when it comes to most expensive claim types, flooding leads the list, averaging £69,647 per incident. That’s over 5 times the UK average between 2021 and 2024 (£12,025). In 2024 alone, The average claim cost for storm almost quintupled its values from £3,284 in 2021 to £15,207.

Meanwhile, some of the more unusual claim types recorded between this period provide insight into rare incidents. Among these were 3 earthquake-related claims, with total payouts amounting to £11,300. There were also nearly 200 lightning claims, costing insurers over half a million (£571,600) in total, and 10 cases of riot or civil commotion damage, resulting in total payouts of £4,460.

Seasonal trends are equally significant. Claims are consistently highest during autumn and winter months, particularly January, February and November. The cold weather and heavy rainfall contribute to issues like burst pipes, storm damage and flooding. Previous Confused.com research found that more than half (51%) of UK homeowners and renters have experienced property damage caused by stormy weather.

These are also among the most expensive types of claims. Flooding, for example, had an average cost of £69,647 per claim, while escape of water due to freezing averaged £21,234 per claim.

Additionally, a recent survey of 2,000 UK homeowners and renters with home insurance¹ revealed that seasonal weather remains a key concern. Nearly 1 in 3 (31%) say they are more worried about storm damage during the colder months, while over 1 in 4 (29%) are more concerned about frozen pipes or water leaks in winter.

And as claim costs increase, residents are becoming more cautious about when and how they claim. Almost half (46%) admit they’ve avoided claiming altogether because they were worried it would make their insurance more expensive. While almost 1 in 3 (31%) were concerned about losing their no-claims discount.

To avoid increasing their premiums, many choose to cover smaller losses themselves rather than using their insurance, even when they need to. Nearly 1 in 2 (46%) say they’ve experienced a situation where they could have made a claim on their home insurance. On average, these resident owners and renters have paid £558 out of pocket for damages instead of making a claim.

For some, uncertainty about the process also plays a part. 1 in 6 (16%) said making a claim was more complicated than they expected.

It’s clear that UK residents recognise the growing risks to their properties, particularly during the colder seasons. Though many still find the claims process costly or confusing, preventing them from getting the full benefit of their cover

To help address this, Confused.com has launched a home insurance claims map, an online tool that shows which UK regions are most likely to experience home insurance claims and which have the highest costs. By making these patterns clear, the tool helps property owners and tenants better understand their local risks and make more informed decisions when reviewing their insurance.

Matthew Harwood, home insurance expert at Confused.com, comments:

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Notes to editors