Avoid top 10 Christmas disasters

Christmas can be a stressful time of year as families race to save, prepare and entertain. 

A recent survey revealed nearly a quarter of people have suffered a common Christmas disaster, with 22% admitting to an unfortunate incident in the panic over the festivities.

Households spend 29% more on average in December than during any other month* – with 42% worried they won’t be able to afford Christmas this year, the last thing they need is an expensive mishap.**

The team at Quotezone.co.uk researched top 10 Christmas disasters to help people be prepared and protect themselves;

1. Casualties – for those energetic Christmas games, be careful no one gets hurt – 80,000 people a year need hospital treatment for injuries such as falls, cuts and burns during the festive period.***
2. Holidays – away over Christmas? Make sure your unoccupied details are accurate on your home insurance – if a frozen pipe bursts while you’re away for 2 weeks and your policy only covers you for seven unoccupied days then you may not be protected. 
3. Repairs – a broken boiler makes for a very chilly Christmas, some home insurance policies include boiler repair/replacement but chances are you have to add it as an extra.  December is the most common month for boiler breakdowns so it may be worthwhile to have your boiler serviced before the festivities start.****
4. Intruders – stolen gifts from under your tree – 70% admitted to not updating their home insurance provider when they had expensive gifts under the tree.**  Homeowners need to add gifts, especially those of high value, to their contents insured – insurers dealt with the equivalent of 198 domestic burglary claims every day over the 2021 festive season.*
5. Santa – before Santa comes down the chimney, make sure it’s swept, lack of maintenance to a property can render the home insurance invalid, a chimney needs swept at least once or twice a year depending on the fuel you burn, to help keep it safe and reduce the risk of fire.
6. Toys – top toys of the season, just double check the legalities, for example, although electric scooters are growing in popularity, they are actually still illegal unless you use them on private land.
7. More mileage – if you’re on the way to do the rounds and visit family over Christmas, the last thing you need is the car to breakdown – make sure breakdown cover is included in your car insurance policy or add it as an extra – note it doesn’t normally come as standard.
8. Alcohol – ‘tis the season to be merry – remember if you are drinking alcohol that most insurance policies won’t cover you for an accident or injury if you are under the influence of alcohol, so no starting Christmas fights or popping home from the pub on your bike.
9. Spoils – finding out your fridge freezer has stopped working could spoil your Christmas party food but don’t worry, some standard home insurance policies cover fridge freezer contents for approximately £400-£750 worth of ruined food, so check to make sure you’re covered. 
10. ! – Warning for Christmas shoppers, those leaving their gifts in the car while they enjoy more shopping or a festive night out are unlikely to be covered by the personal possessions allocation on their car insurance – if you have to store them in the car, make sure to hide the presents out of sight from opportunistic thieves and park in a well-lit area.

Helen Rolph, personal lines comparison expert at Quotezone.co.uk says:  “Christmas is already the most expensive time of the year without adding an unexpected disaster to the mix. 

“We wanted to help people see the potential dangers and ensure they take steps to protect themselves and their finances.

“Just like Santa, now is the time to make a list and check it twice to make sure any insurance policies are accurate and up to date so you can relax and enjoy the festive season.”

https://www.quotezone.co.uk/

References:

*On average households spend 29%^[1] more in December than during any other month. insurers dealt with the equivalent of 198 domestic burglary claims every day over the festive season, and the average claim rose to £2,280 – an increase of 9.6% from the July-September period.^[3](2021 Xmas data) ABI

**Quotezone.co.uk’s findings are based on a randomised survey of 2,000 respondents across the UK in December 2023, which represents a margin of error of approximately 5% at a 95% confidence level.

***80,000 people a year need hospital treatment for injuries such as falls, cuts and burns during the festive period, according to the NHS. 8000 A&E Admissions (National accident helpline)

****December most common month for boiler breakdown (EDF Energy)