Gift Cars - Making a Present of Presents to Opportunist

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18 December 2015 | Updated 01 January 1970

Eight million Brits (16%) will hide presents for loved ones in their car this Christmas and almost six in ten of those doing so (58%) won’t take any extra precautions to protect the festive contents.

This leaves over £1.5 billion of presents potentially uninsured and at risk in vehicles. Toys (49%), clothing (43%) and alcohol (29%) will be the most popular gifts concealed.

uSwitch (the comparison website) has done the survey, claiming that motorists could contact their insurer to increase cover.

For those using their vehicle as Santa’s grotto, checking with their insurer should be on their Christmas to-do list. Not all policies cover contents from theft, especially when it comes to high value items such as Christmas gifts. In fact, when gift buyers did check with their insurer, four in ten (39%) found their policy didn’t cover them for presents left in the car.

Other hiding places

Nooks and crannies in the home are the other top hiding places, with the wardrobe (65%), under the bed (32%) and the loft (30%) the favourite places to secretly stash gifts. Yet 64% of Brits have never checked their home insurance policy either to see if it provides extra cover for gifts over the Christmas period.

Rod Jones, insurance expert at uSwitch.com, says: “Keeping presents hidden from the prying eyes of loved ones can be like a game of cat and mouse. But while hiding gifts in the car boot or the glove box might seem like the perfect plan, you could be leaving yourself open to a nasty surprise on Christmas morning in the event of a theft.

“It might not be top of your festive to-do list, but it’s important to contact your insurer and make sure your car insurance policy covers any additional contents. This means if the worst should happen and the Grinch comes to steal Christmas, you’ll have the right cover in place to make amends.”

Picture: Presenting an opportunity

Article written by Robin Snow | Published 18 December 2015

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