Five Festive Facts… ‘Theft’
Welcome to Week 3. Each one is ‘insurance’ related to the Season. With one fact for each week in the run up to Christmas, we will give some practical advice on how to protect your home, business and family to minimise the risk of any insurance misery.
This week… ‘Tis the Season to Be …cautious’
Now is the time when the excitement of Christmas is mounting and Christmas gift purchases become a priority. Unfortunately, the reality is that it is also the time of year which sees burglary’s rise. The Association of British Insurers’ (ABI) have dubbed this the ‘Theftive’ Season – with good reason, Insurers’ report that last Christmas they handled 10,000 burglary claims with payments of around 15 million pounds.
Thefts from home over the festive season peak on 31st December. According to Aviva, who analysed ten years of data, homes are 20% more likely to be broken into on this day than any other over the Christmas period. The ABI reports a 20% higher chance of burglary in the first three months of the year.
Most insurance policies have automatic increased cover in place, but not all. It’s worth checking your Policy – otherwise you could be at risk of under-insurance should you have to make a claim.
It’s easy to ‘drop your guard’ with all the good cheer around, but taking some simple steps will help protect your home from theft this Christmas time and keep those Christmas spirit’s high!
-Keep presents out of sight Presents displayed under the tree provide easy access for thieves. Attics and lofts take more effort to search and will put off some burglar’s. Make sure that gifts are not ‘on display’ in your car when shopping!
-Disguise waste packaging The boxes stacked by your bin advertise iPads, iPhones and other expensive gadgets provide an advertisement for opportunistic thieves
-When leaving home, check that you have secured your property. Lock windows and doors. Set you house alarm if you have one and keep keys out of site.
-Consider using timers for lights if you are away. It makes it look less obvious that your home is empty.
