The darker side of Christmas reveals spike in burglaries

Tailored and comprehensive home contents insurance is vital during festive season.

It’s hard to know exactly what Christmas will look like in the UK this year but the pandemic is not the only issue to focus on for a safe and happy festive period.

Sadly, the season can also be a month when there is an increased risk of burglary, with rich pickings for thieves as precious presents are stored under the Christmas tree.

This can leave high net-worth households underprepared and under-protected as high-value gifts are delivered, or a larder is stocked with expensive produce. Now’s the time to check if all those items are fully covered under home contents insurance.

The Association of British Insurers says many insurers automatically increase cover by up to 10 per cent for a temporary period over Christmas - for exactly that reason. [1]

But this extra cover usually expires in January. For many households, 10 per cent extra may not cover the value of goods stored in their homes.

Long dark nights and empty houses have previously led to a spike in burglaries at this time of year, with thieves regularly making off with £2,250 worth of goods, according to the ABI. It’s true that during full lockdown burglary rates fell, but it certainly didn’t disappear - and reports suggest that crime is now back to pre-lockdown levels.  In previous years, burglary has seen an uplift of 20 per cent over the festive period in the UK.

In the United States, statistics reveal a similar trend. But there has also been a rise in the number of packages stolen from outside of homes over the festive period.

In today’s pandemic world where many people are either unable or unwilling to visit high street retailers, they have been turning to online services such as online retailers instead. But packages are routinely dumped outside homes if customers are out, so it’s no surprise thefts have rocketed.

Package theft is such a huge problem in the US, that Amazon has introduced Amazon Key which gives delivery drivers remote access to a customer’s car boot or garage so they can deposit the package there, according to CNBC. [2] Package theft is in fact at an all-time high in the US with 1.7m packages lost or stolen every day. It has also been a growing problem in the UK this year, according to Complaints site Revolver. Its consumer rights expert Martyn James says allegations that parcels have been stolen have soared during lockdown[3] and retailers and delivery drivers reported order numbers throughout the year that usually be seen at Christmas.

In Australia, the Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, says the number of break-ins often spike on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve. [4] And in France, official statistics show Christmas and New Year are the second and third most likely time for households to suffer a break-in, with summer at number one.

It’ is important to remember that contents insurance is separate to buildings insurance, which only covers the structure and fittings of a house (even though the two types of insurance are often bought together).

Advice for keeping a home secure over the festive period, and protecting those presents under the tree, includes:

• Don’t post about Christmas plans on social media – leave out details of when you will be away and expensive presents bought or received.
• Make sure Christmas presents cannot be seen through the window or from outside the house.
• Leave your home secure if you do manage to go away. Ask a neighbour to keep an eye on it if possible. Always lock your front door, even if you are only leaving for a short while.
• Don’t ask for parcels to be left on the doorstep or in the porch – always arrange for someone else to take them in if you cannot be there.
• Secure outbuildings such as sheds and garages.
• Keep spare keys out of sight.
• Don’t leave packaging for expensive new gadgets visible in the rubbish bin.
• Take photographs and keep serial numbers and receipts of expensive items in case they are required for an insurance claim.