M&S Insurance goes green

– Sustainable reinstatement of kitchen appliances: when a customer makes a claim for a fridge freezer, refrigerator, washing machine, tumble dryer or dishwasher, they will be offered a replacement which is A rated for energy-efficiency. A replacement electrical kitchen appliance will potentially save up to 140 kilos of CO2 each year.
– Sustainable total rebuild: if a property is damaged severely and warrants a total rebuild, properties will be rebuilt in line with the Code for Sustainable Homes (CSH). This involves the use of sustainable materials where possible, significantly improving the energy efficiency of the property. Rebuilt properties will emit at least 44 per cent less CO2 than building regulations would stipulate.
Insurers usually replace lost or damaged possessions with their equivalent new items, returning the policyholder to the position they were in before making the claim.
M&S Home Insurance customers will instead be offered environmentally-friendly alternatives when the claim involves the replacement of the kitchen appliances stated above or the rebuild of a property.
The new policy features have been welcomed by householders, according to the results of a survey commissioned by M&S Home Insurance.
The poll revealed that 61 per cent of people in Great Britain would be interested in a home insurance product that would help reduce the environmental impact of their home in the event of a claim.
David Wells, M&S head of insurance, said: ‘These new policy features, which we believe are firsts in the UK insurance market, mean that the M&S Home Insurance policy is one of the most environmentally friendly products of its kind.
‘Feedback from householders has told us that they want an insurance policy which helps reduce the environmental impact of their home in the event of a claim, and we are proud to be able to fulfil that wish in our policy.’
Nick Kidd, of AXA Insurance, which underwrites the policy, said: ‘It is becoming increasingly common for companies to launch ‘green’ products on the basis of carbon offsetting facilities which our research suggests is not valued by customers.
‘The M&S product goes significantly further by providing tangible environmental benefits which will help customers to save energy, save money and ultimately, to help save the planet. According to the Energy Saving Trust, the average home will emit around 5 tonnes of CO2 a year, so these new product features can have a real impact.

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