The recent cold weather has led to an increase in the number of home insurance claims relating to water damage, Sainsburys Bank has said.More than 13,000 claims have been made so far this year, with damage valued at 27.56 million.As a result, the insurer has reminded homeowners to take precautions in the kitchen and beyond to safeguard their properties. Fitting insulation to pipes can cut the risk of bursts, while checking taps and sink plumbing can also help. However, the main point to remember is to keep hot water circulating at all times, said Neil Lair, manager of Sainsburys Home Insurance.There have certainly been more home insurance claims linked to water damage in recent weeks than wed expect to see when the weather is milder, he said. We have seen cases this year where people have gone away for a few days and switched their heating off and retuned to terrible damage, this really is a no-no. Warm water must be kept circulating even if its for a short period each day.