One in two people in Finland make this mistake with a dishwasher – can lead to as much as 100,000 euros in damages

Many misconceptions still remain in people's minds about hazards at home and how to insure against them, according to Pohjola Insurance's risk profile test results. Water damage from leaks is often especially costly, even as it is often entirely or partly avoidable. 

The results of Pohjola Insurance's risk profile test for households reveal that nearly half of respondents leave the dishwasher running without supervision.  

"Around half of the test's respondents also assume that home insurance always covers water damage caused to the kitchen by a dishwasher. However, if the dishwasher has been left running without supervision and causes water damage while the resident is away, insurance may not cover the full amount of the damage,” says Hannu Partanen, Senior Specialist, Property Insurance for Personal Customers at Pohjola Insurance. 

Since 2022, the risk profile test has collected data on Finnish customers' conceptions about hazards at home and how to insure against them. Nearly 50,000 people in Finland have responded to the test. 

Pohjola Insurance statistics show that after fire damage, water leakages are the second most costly cause of damage. The most frequent cause of leakage damage is a loose, leaky or broken dishwasher intake or drain hose. At worst, the damage caused by leaks can be as high as over 100,000 euros. 

"The condition of pipe joints and hoses must be checked regularly and parts subject to wear, such as the drain hose, must be replaced from time to time," says Partanen. 

Around 84% of respondents who live in a housing company also assume that water damage caused in a bathroom over a long period is covered by their personal or the housing company's insurance. 

“Such damage may be the result of water from the shower coming into contact with the bathroom's structures, for example. This type of damage is not covered by the insurance, however, because insurance generally only covers losses which are sudden and unforeseeable. For this reason, it is important to ensure that the shower room has appropriate waterproofing," says Partanen.  

Just 40% of homeowners living in a detached house regularly check the condition of subsoil drains 

Slightly more than one in four respondents who live in a detached house assume that home insurance always covers water damage caused by rainwater leaking through the roof in a storm or heavy rain. On the other hand, one in four respondents assume that home insurance never covers damage caused in these instances. 

"Home insurance covers water damage caused by rain in situations where a tree felled by a storm damages the roof and causes rainwater to enter the building. If water penetrates the structures of the house as the result of inadequate waterproofing without damage caused by a storm, for example, the damage may be deemed to have been caused by a construction error or the poor condition of the roof and not by the storm itself. If this is the case, the damage is not covered by home insurance. For this reason, it is important to check the condition of the roof at least once a year," says Partanen. 

Just 40% of respondents say they check the condition of subsoil drains around the house every year.  

"In addition to the house itself, the drains, subsoil drains and rainwater gullies and pumps on the property are the responsibility of the property owner. As in the case of roofs, drains and rainwater gullies must be inspected every year to ensure their functionality. The compensation paid from insurance may be reduced if the damage is the result of poor maintenance," says Partanen.  

Media enquiries: 

OP Financial Group Communications, tel. +358 10 252 8719, viestinta@op.fi  

The risk profile test for households published by Pohjola Insurance in February 2022 consists of anonymous background questions about the respondent, questions on diligence and carefulness, and statements about what is covered by home insurance. After the test, the respondent is shown the correct answers and their explanations. So far, the test has been taken about 49,700 times. 

Pohjola Insurance is Finland’s leading non-life insurer with a total of 2.5 million private and corporate customers. It provides an extensive range of non-life insurance services to private, corporate and institutional clients. Pohjola Insurance is part of OP Financial Group which is Finland's largest financial services group.