3 million shoppers could be leaving presents at risk this Christmas, new research reveals
With Christmas shopping underway, Brits are now busy thinking of creative hiding places for their presents. However, the insurance experts at Go.Compare are warning people that not all hiding spots are safe – particularly the car boot.
Stashing presents in your car is both a security risk and an insurance risk, but despite this, Go.Compare’s research found that 7% of people plan to hide gifts in the boots of their cars* – meaning around 3 million people could be leaving their presents at risk this Christmas.**
While your children might be less likely to discover presents in the car boot, this hiding spot could be an attractive sight to opportunistic thieves – and Go.Compare’s analysis shows that in the event of a theft, your car insurance may not cover the cost of replacing them. Analysis of 298 comprehensive car insurance policies*** found that almost a quarter (22%) provide cover for less than £200 worth of personal possessions in your car, while 8% don’t provide any cover at all. A further 50% provide cover between £200 and £499, and only 20% provide cover for possessions worth £500 or more.
It’s also important to note that some insurance companies only cover the loss or damage of ‘everyday items’, and therefore might not cover presents hidden in a car. And if you have opted for a Third party, fire and theft policy (TPFT) or Third Party Only (TPO), you likely won’t have any personal possessions cover at all.
Tom Banks, Go.Compare car insurance spokesperson, said: “At Christmas, it can be hard to find somewhere to hide presents away from prying eyes. And while your car might seem like the perfect place to stash those stocking fillers, it’s never a good idea to keep valuables in your car, no matter the time of year. Not only can it make it more attractive for thieves to break in, but the level of cover on your insurance policy could mean you won’t be compensated for the loss of any presents you were hiding in the boot.
“Our analysis shows that the level of personal possessions cover offered by insurers can vary and if the gifts in your car aren’t classed as “everyday items”, then you might not be awarded compensation. So, it’s best to give this hiding place a miss – and instead join the 35% of people who are stashing their gifts in the wardrobe this Christmas.”
Location | % of people who hide presents there* |
In a wardrobe or cupboard | 35% |
Under the bed | 12% |
In the attic | 11% |
Under the tree | 11% |
In the car boot | 7% |
At a friend or relative’s house | 5% |
In the garage | 5% |
In a shed or outbuilding | 5% |
I don’t hide Christmas presents | 28% |
To find out more information about personal possessions cover on your car insurance, please visit: https://www.gocompare.com/car-insurance/guide/personal-possessions-cover/
Contact Information
Rubie Barker
Notes to editors
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Notes to Editor
*These findings are from a study released by Sago between November 2-4, 2024, among a random selection of 2,037 of GB adults ages 18+ who are online panelists of Sago’s Community. For comparison purposes, a probability sample of this size has an estimated margin of error (which measures sampling variability) of +/- 2.5%, 19 times out of 20.
**UK adult population is 47,205,302 according to Census 2021. Data from Office for National Statistics . This was multiplied by 7%, corresponding to the percentage of people who responded that they would leave Christmas presents in their car boot.
*** Source: Defaqto Matrix comparing 298 comprehensive car insurance products for level of personal possession cover. November 18th 2024. Percentages are rounded up to the nearest whole number.
For further information please contact:
Lynsey Walden on lynsey.walden@Gocompare.com, or Kath Chadwick on Kathryn.chadwick@Gocompare.com.
Keep up-to-date with Go.Compare on Twitter; @Go.Compare
About Go.Compare
Go.Compare is a comparison website that enables people to compare the costs and features of a wide variety of insurance policies, financial products and energy tariffs.
It does not charge people to use its services and does not accept advertising or sponsored listings, so all product comparisons are unbiased. Go.Compare makes its money through fees paid by the providers of products that appear on its various comparison services when a customer buys through the site.
When it launched in 2006, it was the first comparison site to focus on displaying policy details rather than just listing prices, with the aim of helping people to make better-informed decisions when buying their insurance. It is this approach to comparing products that secured the company an invitation to join the British Insurance Brokers’ Association (BIBA) in 2008, and it is still the only comparison site to be a member of this organisation.
Go.Compare has remained dedicated to helping people choose the most appropriate products rather than just the cheapest and works with Defaqto, the independent financial researcher, to integrate additional policy information into a number of its insurance comparison services. This allows people to compare up to an extra 30 features of cover.
Go.Compare is part of Future Plc and is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).
More information can be found here www.Go.Compare.com or here https://www.futureplc.com/brands/.