Sainsbury's Home Insurance warns of post-Christmas claims
Sainsbury's Home Insurance is warning of a New Year spike in home insurance claims as homeowners look to cover the cost of damage done during the festive period. In the first week of January last year the number of claims handled by Sainsbury's was 37% higher than during a typical week. The bank estimates that the first week of January this year could see over £25.4 million worth of home insurance claims across the UK.
Research for the bank also suggests that homeowners are more likely to make costly claims in December, due to the increased value of home contents with presents as well as costly food and drink being stored for Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year. Last December the average home insurance claim, at just over £1,260, was 16% higher in December than during the rest of the year. Sainsbury's Home Insurance offers a 10% automatic seasonal increase in cover for the festive period.
Ben Tyte, Sainsbury's Home Insurance Manager, said: "In these challenging economic times, opportunist thieves could well be on the look out for unattended homes over the festive period, while large numbers of Christmas visitors could increase your chances of accidental damage, so the chances of having to make a yuletide claim increase dramatically. Even having the fridge and freezer very well stocked could lead to a considerable claim if there was a power cut. Leading up to Christmas we'd advise homeowners to check their home insurance policies to ensure they're automatically given extra Christmas cover."
Sainsbury's Home Insurance offers the following advice for avoiding calamities in the home this Christmas:
Taking care in the home:
Remember to check your contents policy and make sure that you have got extended accidental damage cover to protect against mishaps such as spills and pet damage
Don't overload plug sockets, particularly around the Christmas tree
Check your Christmas tree lights conform to British safety standards
Never place candles near your Christmas tree or furnishings
Most fires start in the kitchen - never leave a cooker unattended
Move breakables and glass objects out of reach of children and pets
If you have a party, put a guard around your fire and move valuable/delicate pieces of furniture into another room
Winter Weather:
Find your main stopcock and make sure you can turn it off and on. If you have a water meter, the ‘off' switch is on the meter, which is probably outside the house
If you are away for a few days, leave the heating on a low setting as it's advisable to maintain an air temperature of at least 10oC (50 oF)
Make sure you have the telephone number for your home insurance company because many like Sainsbury's Home Insurance offer a 24-hour emergency helpline which can arrange for emergency/temporary repairs
About Sainsbury's Home Insurance:
As well as being competitively priced, the bank also offers an extensive range of cover and benefits. This includes:
Unlimited buildings cover
Unlike some home insurers, Sainsbury's Bank does not apply charges for customers paying their premiums by direct debit
Maximum no-claims discount of up to 30%
No-claims discount protection
Cover for accidental damage - even by pets
Sainsbury's shoppers are rewarded with double Nectar points on their shopping in store, online and in petrol filling stations for two years when taking out Sainsbury's Home Insurance. For example, customers who spend £50 a week with Sainsbury's and have Sainsbury's Home Insurance as well as a Nectar card would receive £52 worth of Nectar points a year.
To find out more about Sainsbury's Home Insurance, visit sainsburysfinance.co.uk