Thursday 27th December 2007
Yesterday (December 26th) may have resulted in a surge in the number of home insurance claims made, research indicates.
According to a study released by Sainsburys Home Insurance, Boxing Day often sees an increase in claims made.
The financial services firm reports that the average home insurance claim over the course of December stands at £658.28, however at Boxing Day this surges to £2,209.31.
Overall, Sainsburys says that some 12 per cent of the value of claims it receives during this December are due to incidents which took place on Boxing Day.
Consequently, homeowners were advised to make sure that they have a sufficient home insurance policy.
Steve Johnson, head of home insurance for Sainsburys, said: "Over the Christmas period, you can be at a higher risk of being burgled if your home is empty or, if you have your home full of friends and family, the chances of something breaking or being damaged can also increase.
"Its interesting that Boxing Day appears to be the worst day, maybe its because people are more inclined to let their hair down after the stress and strains of Christmas Day.
As a result, Mr Johnson added: "Its a good idea before Christmas arrives to check your home insurance policy to make sure that you have adequate cover."
The firm also advised homeowners to ensure that they have the contact details for their insurance provider close to hand in case they require emergency repairs.
Additionally, making sure cookers are not left unattended, moving valuable items out of the reach of children and ensuring plug sockets are not overloaded were also put forward as avoiding disasters in the home during the festive period.
Earlier this year, Direct Line advised that consumers should make sure that their home insurance policy is modified adequately as they fill their property up with expensive Christmas gifts.
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