Let's clarify: In what cases does ERGO home assistance service help?

Accidents at home usually happen at the most inconvenient time. Whether it's an unexpectedly broken pipe or another water emergency, it will likely cause various unpleasantries and significant expenses. Especially if damage affects not only your own home but also a neighbor's apartment.

Such accidents are ERGO insurance home and travel insurance product manager Annika Mällo says are everyday occurrences. "The bursting of a washing machine or dishwasher pressure hose, a broken water pipe, a leaking boiler or a clogged drain are unfortunately quite common problems in homes." In the case of water leaks, floors, walls, ceilings are usually damaged, as well as furniture and home electronics for example. When living in an apartment, you should bear in mind that water usually also penetrates into neighbors' apartments.

If an apartment or house has ERGO home insurance Max package, home assistance helps in the event of such unforeseen accidents. Of course, in the event of a water emergency, it is possible to call a familiar plumber, but it may happen that he is at that moment in another corner of Estonia or cannot come immediately. "Home assistance has the advantage that you can call there both at night and during the day and help arrives in a short time," Mällo highlights the advantages of the home assistance service.

Accidents happen everywhere

"Water is actually one of the most frequent causes of trouble in homes and therefore pipe assistance is the service that clients need most often," says the insurance expert. Another common reason why people need home assistance is problems related to door locks and keys: a lock won't turn, a key is broken in the lock, losing a key, etc. However, more extreme cases also occur. Mällo recalls how an accident was caused by apple juice purchased from a market.

"A person started opening a juice jar at home, but it had come under tremendous pressure and simply exploded in the kitchen. As a result of the accident, there were glass shards on the floor and there was no corner of the kitchen that hadn't been touched by juice splatters. Fortunately, no one was in the kitchen during the 'explosion' and no one was injured."

There are also situations where people need temporary accommodation quickly. "Last Christmas, there was a case where a house's heat pump stopped working, the temperature in the living spaces fell below 18 degrees and the family had to be placed in temporary accommodation," says Mällo about the problem ERGO home assistance was contacted about.

ERGO home assistance helps if:

• you have lost your keys and cannot get home
• there is a broken water pipe in your home – home drying and cleaning are arranged
• burglars have been to your home – the home is watched until it is securely closed; assistance is also provided in covering broken window or door openings and installing a new lock
• after a fire it is no longer possible to live in the home – the home is watched until it is securely closed
• a storm has damaged the building – assistance is provided in covering the openings caused by the storm; if it is not possible to live in the building due to storm damage, it is watched until it is securely closed
• due to an accident it is not possible to live at home – residents are temporarily accommodated elsewhere.
• In case of an unexpected accident, a customer who has purchased ERGO home insurance Max package can use the home assistance service by calling +372 655 5401. It's a good idea to save this number in your phone just in case.