The Amateur Financier

(It’s time for yet another guest post from the Amateur Financier.  This time, we’re looking at something you probably haven’t thought about, insuring your Christmas presents.  Never heard of the concept before?  Neither did I, but read on to find out more!)

With Christmas on the way, the hidden nooks and crannies in every home are beginning to fill with presents.  With expensive gifts in the home, it is more important than ever to ensure that you have contents insurance from a reputable provider such as Castle Cover’s contents insurance policies.

Christmas brings particular challenges to the safety of your possessions.  Firstly, you generally have much more to lose – the average British household will spend over £600 on Christmas gifts this year, and some families will spend much more.  The possibility of these hard-earned presents being stolen or damaged is beyond thinking about, especially since the difficult economic times many families face would make it more difficult than ever to replace them.

Thieves are aware of the potential for nefarious deeds and profit that the Christmas season brings.  Not only do many households have high-value items in their home, but darker, longer nights make burglaries easier to perform.  The Christmas season also brings parties and visits to family and friends, meaning that there are many empty homes filled with gifts presenting tempting targets.

Even when you are in your home you are not safe from theft.  With so many people hosting Christmas parties for friends and extended family, it can be easy for a thief to sneak into the house while you are entertaining your guests, or for a ‘friend’ to take advantage of your hospitality.

If you don’t already have contents insurance, it is absolutely imperative that you seek it out for the Christmas period.  Otherwise, you will have little recourse if your presents are stolen and you could be facing a very bleak Christmas morning.  If you already have contents insurance, you should still not rest easy!  Your newly acquired gifts may not be covered by your existing policy, and you could be in for a nasty shock if the worst were to happen.

Of course, theft is not the only thing that contents insurance can help you with.  Colder weather can lead to freezing pipes and water leaks in your home.  Water damage to your property is bad enough to deal with in the first place, but when it has damaged your carefully sourced Christmas gifts it is even worse.  Similarly, the risk of fire increases over Christmas as candles, ovens and Christmas tree lights all see more use.  Contents insurance can allow you to replace any damaged items and still bring joy to your friends and family.  Have yourself a happy holiday season by making sure you, and your Christmas supplies, are properly insured.