Most of us look forward to seeing the sun, but heatwaves can spell trouble for our homes. In August, temperatures of more than 34C were recorded for six consecutive days for the first time in the UK for six decades. And when the heat keeps rising, so does the risk of property damage.

Here we outline the hidden dangers of heatwaves and what to do if you’re affected.

With most of us continuing to spend more time at home, understanding fire risks has never been more important.

According to the latest Government figures, 215 people lost their lives because of a home fire in the year ending June 2019. Smoking is a major cause of fire fatalities and cooking accidents account for around half of all home fires. Other risks include candles, which are responsible for around two fires a day, and faulty electrics which cause approximately 4,000 home fires every year.

If you’re a broker helping customers to process claims for property damage, there’s a strong chance that Covid 19 has put the brakes on any repair work.

Although insurers are doing everything they can to handle claims quickly, there’s a backlog causing long delays for policyholders whose homes or business premises have suffered damage during the Coronavirus pandemic.

If your property suffers serious damage it can be incredibly worrying, but in the face of Covid-19, it’s likely to feel even more stressful. Concerns about lockdown restrictions and safety are causing many property owners to query how the insurance and repairs process could be affected.

Here, we respond to the main questions being raised, including advice on achieving a successful insurance claim and arranging specialist repairs during the crisis.