Beware the 12 risks of Christmas
NFU Mutual is urging homeowners to stay safe and check their insurance cover this festive season, by highlighting twelve risks of Christmas and launching a festive version of its online contents calculator.
A fire on your Christmas tree
Fairy lights and festive decorations may brighten up the home, but they are also a common cause of electrical fires. You should be careful not to overload plug sockets and always unplug the lights and decorations when you go to bed.
Two - candle flames
Candles are also a common cause of accidental fires in the home and molten wax can ruin expensive carpets and upholstery. Always place candles in a proper holder and on a heat resistant surface and away from curtains or other furniture.
Three - open fires
Before lighting any fires in your home, have your chimney inspected by a professional and cleaned if necessary. Wood stoves in particular need to be placed on an approved stove board to protect the floor from heat and hot embers.
Four - outdoor lights
Installing outdoor security lights that come on when someone approaches the property can be a good way to deter potential intruders. If you out in the evening, leave some lights on and shut curtains to give the impression someone's home.
Five - stolen things
Marking all of your belongings, whether it be garden tools or a television, will help to identify them in the event of a theft. Products like SmartWater can be discreet yet effective as criminals will struggle to sell your possessions on.
Six - hide your door keys
You should remove any keys from doors and keep them out of sight, but somewhere easy to access in the event of a fire. Avoid leaving spare keys outside in common places like under a doormat or in a flowerpot.
Seven - find the stop valve
In the event of an emergency you might need to shut off your home's water supply, so make sure you know where the stop valve is beforehand to avoid any unpleasant surprises.
Eight - pipes a-lagging
Lagging your water pipes can help prevent them from bursting when the temperature drops. Some pre-1930's properties will be at risk this Christmas as 80 years of wear and tear can take its toll on pipes. Equally, properties under 30 years old might also suffer, given en-suites and more complex plumbing.
Nine - night-time heating
Keeping your central heating on overnight at around 15°C can help to reduce the risk of your pipes freezing. You only need to try this if there's a chance the temperature will drop below 0°C.
Ten - check your cover
Make sure you know how much you're insured for. NFU Mutual automatically increases the contents sum insured by £5,000 during December and January to help cover for the extra gifts. Using NFU Mutual's online Christmas contents calculator will help to make sure you won't fall short if the worst happens.
Eleven - ask the experts
See what other people say about your insurance. Defaqto, one of the UK's leading independent financial services research companies, offer a helpful ratings scheme, which measures insurance products from one-to-five stars. Consumer champion Which? also has a list of recommended providers.
Twelve - find a discount
Often the cheapest deals come at the cost of the quality of cover, but there are still many savings to be made. Make sure your buildings and contents policies are both with the same insurer and you may receive a healthy discount.
NFU Mutual provides extensive insurance cover at a fair price with a first class service. The insurer's home contents cover carries the maximum five-star rating from Defaqto, meaning home and contents insurance from NFU Mutual is some of the best quality cover in the market. NFU Mutual is also a Which? Recommended Provider for home insurance.
Homeowners interested in calculating a more accurate figure for the value of their personal possessions this festive season, visit nfumutual.co.uk.