Christmas uncovered!

Forget December, the Christmas period kicks off earlier every year, with most high street lights flicking on in November. But research from Abbey Home Insurance has found that shoppers who start buying their Christmas presents this early may not be covered.

Abbey’s research shows that while November is the most popular month for buying presents, one-in-ten people started stockpiling in the first half of this year, with a very well-prepared 2.9 million people starting their Christmas shopping in January.

However Abbey urges people who do this to check their home insurance policies. Most offer additional Christmas cover, but in many cases this does not kick in until December - well after most people have started buying presents. What’s more, the additional cover typically this will only last one month after Christmas, for those in receipt of the gifts.

Prasad Shastri, Head of Abbey Home Insurance, said: “With the additional Christmas cover on the majority of insurance policies coming into effect on the 1st December there is a risk that many people are unwittingly without the appropriate cover for the gifts they have been buying. That’s not the case with our Peace of Mind home insurance which offers unlimited sum assured for the whole of the year.”

Britain’s Christmas shopping trends

According to Abbey’s research, September, October and November of this year saw the majority, 61 per cent (28.1 million people) start their Christmas shopping. The January sales see well-prepared shoppers start ticking items off their list for next year, with women making up the overwhelming majority of this group.

Prasad Shastri, continued: "Preparing for Christmas early and spreading the cost of buying presents throughout the year is a sensible move. Sadly though too many insurance policies don’t take this into consideration and buying presents in advance of December, although very prudent, may leave you underinsured.

“The research shows just how ineffective having a policy that offers limited additional Christmas cover really is. These policies are out of touch with the real requirements of the public who need the peace of mind that they are fully covered for the presents they have bought, whether that be for Christmas, birthdays, anniversaries or weddings”.

For people looking for insurance with unlimited sum insured policy, Abbey's Peace of Mind home insurance provides this for properties with less than six bedrooms. This is the third year running that Abbey has been awarded a five star rating by Defaqto, making it one of only five providers to have ever achieved this honour.

Free advice on how to ensure that you have adequate cover for your house and possessions is available at any branch of Abbey, or for more information about Abbey’s home insurance visit abbey.com/insurance.