Protecting your home and family at Christmas time

Many insurers automatically boost your insurance coverage limits by 10% over the Christmas period. But is it enough? For many households, even this increased coverage leaves you under-protected at a time when your home is an inviting target.

The festive season should be a time of giving and joy, but December is also a month of increased risk of burglary, for which high net-worth households are often underprepared.

The Association of British Insurers says many insurers automatically increase cover by up to 10% for a temporary period over Christmas - for exactly that reason.

But the extra cover normally expires in January and, and for many households, 10% extra may not be enough to cover the value of goods stored in their homes - especially in an era when consumers buy presents on Black Friday and Cyber Monday, long before Christmas arrives.

The ABI says the average value of a Christmas burglary haul is £2,250. It suggests dark nights and empty houses over the festive period contribute to a higher number of incidents at this time of year.

In December 2018 a report by VPS Security claimed figures typically rose by up to 20% over the festive period, with 448 burglaries, 65 robberies and 1,082 thefts committed on average every day in the holiday period in the UK. 

Things to think about at Christmas

• Is your home, and its Christmas contents, covered for flooding, burst pipes and leaks? The risk of water damage can increase in winter.
• Does your household policy include cover against theft?
• Does it cover other seasonal threats, such as wine spillages and accidental damage caused by children or visitors? Check which items are covered under accidental damage - and which are not. You may find smaller items such as laptops are not covered unless specified.
• Does the policy include cover for spoilt food if a fridge or freezer malfunctions?
• Have you valued your home contents correctly? Many householders underestimate what their contents are worth. Some contents, such as art and jewellery, rise in value with age or are affected by market changes. The amount insured should be reviewed each year - and especially at Christmas.
• Do you know the blanket figure for total sums insured and the limit set for individual items? High value items, including presents, may need extra cover.
• Do you have a new-for-old policy, under which items are replaced or repaired as new, or a wear-and-tear policy under which the figure paid out may be less, taking depreciation into account?
• Are your home contents covered for fire damage? The risk of fire increases at Christmas.

Remember that contents insurance is separate from buildings insurance, which only covers the structure and fittings of a house (even though the two are often bought together).
 

Keeping safe at Christmas

• Make sure Christmas presents cannot be seen through the window or from outside the house.
• Be careful what you post about your Christmas plans on social media – avoid details of when you will be away and of expensive presents bought or received.
• Leave your home secure if you do go away. Ask a neighbour to keep an eye on it if possible. Always lock your front door, even if you are only leaving for a short while.
• Don’t ask for parcels to be left on the doorstep or in the porch – always arrange for someone else to take them in if you cannot be there.
• Make sure outbuildings such as sheds and garages are secure.
• Keep spare keys out of sight.
• Don’t leave packaging for expensive new gadgets visible in the rubbish bin.
• Take photographs and keep serial numbers and receipts of expensive items in case they are required for an insurance claim.