Double check home insurance over Christmas

Home-owners have been advised to double check their home insurance over the Christmas period, when opportunist criminals are most likely to pounce.

Neil McFarlane, a property expert from TH March, made the claim, stressing the importance of having adequate insurance over this period.

Norwich Union’s “Riskmass time, mistletoe and crime” report recently revealed that New Year's Eve is the festive season's worst day for burglary according to Norwich Union claims data.

It stated that homes are 25 per cent more likely to be broken into on December 31st than on an average day.

Furthermore, every year canny burglars cash in on homes left empty during New Year revelry and of course all those extra gifts in the house from Christmas.

Home owners were also warned that while Christmas Eve and Christmas Day meanwhile, have one of the lowest crime rates of the year, if you are unlucky enough to be targeted on December 24th or 25th claims are higher than normal with thieves snatching belongings and presents worth an average of £1,600.

Neil McFarlane said: "It is a very good idea to double check your insurance policy but many policies provide an automatic increase for the pre-Christmas period for the very reason that you're acquiring more gifts and presents but it is important to check that your policy does that in case the unfortunate does happen.”

Last year Norwich Union produced a predicted burglars’ wish list, which ranked the new shape iPod Nano as the most desired loot.

It was closely followed by the Apple Macbook range, Nintendo Wii and Wii Fits and the Samsung Pixon or 8800 Arte Carbon mobile phones.

Jewellery and valuables insurance brokers TH March advise home owners to check and double check their policies for clauses which may invalidate their insurance if not strictly complied with.

It also says that if in doubt home owners should insure valuable items such as jewellery separately.

Mr McFarlane said: "Policies will have inner limits built in regarding valuables and the definition of valuables will change with some companies applying it to jewellery and some to plasma TVs so it is best to double check."