Your alternative Christmas blog for a very alternative Christmas

The Twelve Claims of Christmas

This dirty dozen, courtesy of Aviva’s “12 Claims of Christmas”, are all real Christmas claims placed between 2016 and 2020. (The number of claims is shown in brackets!):

1. People putting their feet through the ceiling fetching decorations from the loft (11).
2. Falling Christmas trees smashing the TV screen (110).
3. Carpets stained by water from leaking Christmas tree pots (68).
4. Writing or making Christmas cards led to claims for ink pots knocked to the floor, table ornaments smashed and even one ruined sofa.
5. Candles account for a range of unfortunate events from a candle centrepiece burning an entire table to wax spills (77).
6. Fairy lights can sometimes overheat – and disaster ensues (7)
7. Christmas dinner is a precarious time for cookers as pans can get dropped and ovens sometimes catch fire (6).
8. Christmas parties are more risky than you might imagine. Some revellers reported lost or stolen items (mainly phones, jewellery and watches) (27).
9. Festive theft includes ornamental reindeer disappearing from gardens (5).
10. Check that wrapping paper! Often items like hearing aids, glasses and earrings can get concealed in discarded paper – only to wind up in the bin! (15).
11. One claimant even managed to throw her rings away whilst making mince pies… (1).
12. Watch out for that one-horse sleigh: a claims handler had to help a policy holder whose doorway was smashed by a sleigh when the horse pulling it had taken fright and bolted (1).

Protect your presents!

Make sure nothing and no-one can steal your Christmas sparkle! Here are some easy top tips from MoneySupermarket.com and YourMoney.com:

• Check that all your doors and windows are locked – even if you’re inside the house (ensuring you can escape in the event of a fire – Elf and safety Ed)!
• Set your burglar alarms before heading out.
• Ensure that car and house keys are out of sight.
• Don’t leave boxes advertising what was inside by the bins.
• If you are going away, check your contents and buildings insurance, make sure everything is locked up, appliances are switched off and the heating is set to a low temperature on a timer. Leave a light on too and, if you can, have a family member or trusted neighbour check on your property.
• Don’t leave candles unattended and keep decorations and cards away from flames.
• Be careful on social media – consider who reads your posts and check your privacy settings, don’t show off gifts or publicise if you are going away.
• If you are running cables for outdoor Christmas lights through the window, make sure it can’t be pried open. Use battery – or solar-powered outdoor lights instead.
• Fairy lights can be a fire risk, so use the newest possible ones with the highest safety standards. Turn them off when unattended and don’t leave them on overnight.
• Don’t overload electricity sockets with too many fairy lights or decorations.
• Keep presents out of sight. If you’re out shopping, lock purchases in the car boot and cover with the parcel shelf.
• If you are on a night out, don’t list your home address as “home” in your car satnav!
• Lastly, clear a broad path for Father Christmas to get down the chimney – especially if you are leaving out brandy..!

We wish all our clients, candidates, fellow professionals and blog readers a happy and healthy Christmas from all of us at Insure Recruitment.

See you in 2021!

Francesca, Andrea, Marion, Miles, Sarah and Bailey