Christmas is a time for you and your family to enjoy yourself. We at Allied Claims hope you’ll have a great holiday, but it’s worth taking a little trouble to make sure someone else doesn’t spoil it all for you.

And no, we’re not just talking about bad Christmas TV schedules. Burglars view Christmas as a bonanza, so be sure you don’t make life easy for them, or put your home or possessions at risk in any way.

However many precautions you take, of course, you could get burgled, or there could be accidental damage. If you’ve taken precautions, though, you’re unlikely to have any trouble from the Loss Adjuster if you have to make an insurance claim.

A Few Simple Precautions You Can Take

• If you’re going out during the holiday, make sure you activate your alarm and leave a light on.
• If you’re going to be away for a more extended period over Christmas, arrange for a family member or a neighbour you trust to make regular checks. They should turn lights on and off, open and close the curtains and prevent mail from piling up. This will make it difficult for burglars to be sure you’re away.
• Be careful of your social media posts over Christmas. Although it’s tempting to show off what Santa brought you, that could be of interest to burglars as well as your friends, so check your privacy settings. And avoid posting about being away from home — if you’re burgled, that could be enough for your insurance claim to be rejected.
• Keep your Christmas presents out of sight by storing them well away from the windows.
• If you’re out shopping in your car, either for Christmas presents or for bargains in the sales, keep what you buy locked in your boot with the parcel shelf covering them.

Besides safeguarding against burglars, there are some simple precautions against accidents that will help keep your home safe over Christmas and the Loss Adjuster happy if you do have to make a claim:

• Only have candles alight while you’re present, and keep cards and decorations away from fires or other sources of heat.
• Be careful when decorating your Christmas tree and make sure you don’t overload it.
• Fairy lights can easily deteriorate and become a fire risk, so consider whether you need to buy new ones. Also, keep them turned off at night or when no-one’s present.
• You tend to need a lot of electricity over Christmas, especially if you have several sets of fairy lights, so ensure you don’t overload the sockets.

And, finally, check your insurance. Single items are typically limited to a liability of no more than £1,500- £2,500, so make certain your presents are all covered, including an accidental damage clause for any breakages.

Have a great Christmas — but also a safe Christmas.