How to protect Christmas presents from thieves

With Britons expected to fork out hundreds of pounds on Christmas presents this year, insurers are warning shoppers not to store gifts in unsecured places like the boot of the car.

That's because cover provided for personal possessions can vary depending on the insurance policy you have in place and you might not be able to make a claim if expensive items are stolen.

Which? reveals what insurance you need in case your Christmas presents get stolen. 

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Car insurance may not cover all the costs

According to YouGov's Christmas spending tracker, in 2022, the average person in the UK spent £642 on the festive season, with gifts being the largest expense at around £300 in total. You may want to think twice about leaving your festive shopping in the car, however. 

Car theft is at an all-time high, according to new data from LV General Insurance. Between 2021 to 2022, it has increased by 59% and is expected to be even higher by the end of 2023.

The good news is that your car insurance policy should protect you if someone breaks into your vehicle and makes away with your gifts. The bad news is, your personal possessions policy may not be enough to cover the full costs.

GoCompare reviewed 314 car insurance policies this November and found that, while most comprehensive car insurance policies include personal possessions cover (92% provide this cover as standard), the actual amount that each policy covers can differ from product to product. 

The price comparison site found that almost half of products offer cover of between £200 and £499. But if your Christmas present haul is greater or less than that price range, you might struggle to find adequate cover.

Only about a quarter of products cover less than £200 worth of personal possessions and 19% of products offer cover for possessions worth £500 or more. 

A further 8% of policies do not provide any personal possessions cover as standard and third-party, fire and theft policies will not offer any cover at all. 

• Find out more: best car insurance companies 2023

Home insurance may help

If you do find that your car insurance policy doesn’t provide enough cover, you could also be covered by a home contents policy and its personal possessions cover. This protects your belongings against theft, loss and accidental damage when you take them outside the home.

GoCompare found that, out of 332 home contents policies, 41% provided cover for personal possessions in a car. However, some insurance companies will only cover 'everyday items', so you might find that they won't cover gifts hidden in a car. 

Therefore, if you’re planning on buying expensive gifts such as laptops or mobile phones, you'll need to check that you're covered for these items away from the home.

Tom Banks, insurance spokesperson at Go Compare, said: 'Go Compare data also found that December is a peak month for car insurance claims and some of this will undoubtedly be down to opportunistic thieves who take a chance that expensive items have been left in a vehicle.

'It’s never a good idea to keep anything valuable in the car, and even though the boot might seem like a great temporary hiding place against those prying eyes, it’s not worth the risk if the worst happens.'

• Find out more: best home insurance

If you have to use a car for storage, take these steps

While most comprehensive car insurance policies will provide some sort of cover for personal possessions, you could invalidate this cover if insurers believe you've been careless – for example, in securing your car or keeping the items you're claiming safe.

Here are a few measures you could take to prevent your car being stolen or broken into:

• Keep out of view You should never have anything remotely of value on display in the car that can attract unwanted attention from thieves. That includes mobile phones, money, bags or tech such as laptops and tablets.
• Make sure your car is locked Even if you're just popping into the garage, keep your car locked. And never leave your keys visible in the vehicle.
• Buy an alarm An alarm can be an effective deterrent for would-be thieves. Some alarm systems also come with a tracker so you can locate your car if it's taken, as well as immobilisation, anti-grab and movement sensors. If you're stretched for budget, you could instead consider buying a metal locking device placed over the steering wheel.
• Park carefully Off-street or in a locked garage is usually safest. Failing that, make sure it's in a well-lit spot in an attended car park or on a residential street where people are likely to be passing by. 

How to guard against thieves over Christmas

If the car is too high risk, you may be wondering where you can stash your presents instead.

Inside the home is safest as burglars may also find it easy to access garages, sheds or outbuildings. Again, if the insurer feels you've been careless and haven't properly secured those locations, you could find your claim is refused.

Also make sure any presents that you store inside the house or flat are safely out of sight. So don't put your presents under the tree until the last minute as this is an obvious place that burglars will consider first. 

The Association of British Insurers (ABI) also advises against posting details of expensive gifts on social media. And never publicly announce that you're going away over the festive period, leaving your home unoccupied. 

The ABI says if you are going away over the period, make sure your home is left secure. If possible, ask a trusted neighbour or friend to keep an eye out for anything suspicious. Even if you're only popping around to the neighbours for a sherry and mince pie, always lock your front door. 

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