Christmas and New Year advice from Towergate Insurance to
protect against preying burglars
21st December 2011
The Christmas and New Year festivities are not just a time for
family and friends to get together and indulge – the period
attracts its fair share of unwelcome guests, too. Every year
expensive presents are a tempting lure for burglars and opportunist
thieves.
According to Michael Rea, Retail CEO of Towergate Insurance,
festive gifts, will push up the value of home contents
significantly. “With thousands of pounds worth of tempting presents
in your home," she says, "it's essential to not only keep an eye on
your locks and security but also ensure that you have adequate
insurance protection in place."
The majority of home contents policies automatically offer extra
cover at Christmas time, but some do not - and every year the
biggest losers are those who are under-insured. It's also worth
reflecting that your fridge and freezer will be chock full of
expensive food at this time of year, and a power cut or a break
down will spoil more than your Christmas lunch if you are
uninsured.
Christmas is no time to cut back on your insurance cover, warns
Towergate. And nor, it seems, are January, February and March.
Because, according to figures from the Association of British
Insurers you have nearly a 20 per cent higher chance of being
burgled in the first three months of the year - there were 97,000
claims in the first quarter of 2008, for instance, compared with
82,000 in the following spring and summer quarters.
It's important this Christmas to make sure that you’ve got the
full support of a water-tight insurance policy to provide peace of
mind." Says Rea.
Here then are Towergate's top tips for Christmas and the New
Year to keep your home and valuables safe:
- Make sure your home contents policy is adequate and gives you
an automatic cover increase for Christmas
- Ensure your Christmas lights are wired correctly. Poor wiring
is a source of many accidents and much damage over the festive
period. If in doubt consult a qualified electrician
- If you are away from home over the holiday, keep valuables
locked up and ask a neighbour to check on your house
- Don't tempt any unwanted guests - keep all presents out of
view
- Try and keep receipts and proof of purchase for all the
expensive presents you give and receive
- If you are away over the festive period ensure your home has
the impression of being occupied to deter any unwelcome
guests.
Media Contacts
Kelly-Ann Knight
Group Head of External
Communications
Towergate
Mobile: 07717 866190
Email: kelly-ann.knight@towergate.co.uk