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Home improvements could help prevent people having to put in pricey claims for weather-damaged property, one sector organisation has advised.

As a cold snap sweeps Britain, Lloyds TSB Insurance has announced that it has seen a 15 per cent increase of claims for burst pipes, although this is expected to rise.

Indeed, the average cost of a claim for this incident occurring is £1,400, the insurer states, which may highlight the importance of weather-proofing a home and having a home insurance policy in place.

Homeowners may want to take out a loan to cover the cost of having heating appliances serviced and insulating outside taps, lag pipes and loft tanks, action which the firm says could avoid unnecessary damage.

"A little bit of preparation now could save you from having to deal with escaping water from burst pipes or a broken boiler," suggests managing director of Lloyds TSB Insurance Phil Loney.

As such, using credit such as secured loans to make extensive home improvements could avoid costly consequences further down the line.

Taking out secured loans may be an attractive financial option for many after uSwitch.com revealed that over a fifth of adults believe they will miss out on a pay rise this year.