Burnt offerings lead Brits to claim on their home insurance

Television cookery programmes and celebrity chefs have inspired a nation of Brits - with 14 per cent of people having to claim on their home insurance as a consequence.

Three quarters of householders would attempt a new cooking technique
which they had seen demonstrated, even though 73 per cent describe
themselves as amateur, or novice. One in five people even have a TV in
their kitchen to be able to watch as they cook.

However, 70 per cent of people admitted they didn't keep a fire
extinguisher or fire blanket in their kitchen.

Celebrity chef Tony Tobin from the BBC's Ready Steady Cook said: "It's great to see that kitchens across the country are becoming hubs of creative cookery - fuelling a passion for food and the growth of the dinner party.

"However, all celebrity chefs have had years of training and people at
home must remember this when attempting to recreate any dishes they see
on TV. Make sure you're familiar with the basics before trying out any
complicated culinary techniques and prepare your kitchen before
starting. A cluttered kitchen is a dangerous kitchen."

Mike Pickard, head of home insurance for esure, said: "The kitchen
is one of the most dangerous rooms in a house - but adding a budding
home cook and a technical recipe can make the likelihood of having an
accident soar. Having ample buildings and contents insurance plus
accidental damage cover, to foot the bill of any kitchen mishaps, is
definitely worthwhile."

The most frequent insurance claims include scored or damaged worktops,
deep-fat fryer accidents, water damage from steaming saucepans, and
charring from blow-torches.

23/04/2008 18:05:15