The presents are unwrapped, the parties are over and there's a whole new year ahead of you. So while you're jotting down all those anniversaries and birthdays on your calendar for 2009 here's Norwich Union's key times of the year when you should take extra care in your home and car.
- Your year ahead on the road and in the home
The presents are unwrapped, the parties are over and there's a whole new year ahead of you. So while you're jotting down all those anniversaries and birthdays on your calendar for 2009 here's Norwich Union's key times of the year when you should take extra care in your home and car. *
January
January 2 is the worst day of the year for household water leaks. Whether it's the washing machine, shower or bath, Norwich Union receives 35% more claims on this day than any other day of the year.
Unsurprisingly January is also the worst month for motor accidents and they are more serious with claims costing, on average, 25% more.
March
As the evenings become lighter garden thefts rise - by over 10% compared to the dark nights of January. By the time the clocks go forward thefts outside the home rise by over 25%.
Bikes, lawnmowers, garden tools and children's toys are all targeted with the average theft claim totalling around £850.
May
Motor bike accidents start to rise in May, but one of the worst days is the May Day bank holiday with 50% more claims than a normal day.
The bank holiday is also the worst day of the year for accidental damage in and around the home with children being the main culprits! Spilt drinks, slips on toys and damaged computers are just some of the incidents.
Summer months (June to September)
Murray mania
Whether it's Wimbledon, the World Cup or the Ashes, sporty kids and flying balls could be the cause of a 20% increase in broken window claims during the summer.
Hot stuff
Summer is also the worst season for fire claims with drier weather and barbecues contributing to blazes in the home and garden.
The hottest days of the year also see a 50% increase in motor accidents - bright sunlight, poor footwear, sun stroke and summer drinking all contribute to the rise.
Light nights light fingers
Keeps the sheds and garages locked and don't leave expensive bikes lying in the garden - thefts from outside the home are almost 60% higher than at the beginning of the year.
Check your water works
And watch out for more water leaks in the home, they peak in the summer months. More frequent use of showers, baths and air conditioning units help put pressure on potentially leaky hot spots. Plus plastic pipes are more likely to crack as temperatures rise.
August
Perhaps the last time for hi-jinks before the kids go back to school - there's a 12% increase in accidental damage claims on the August Bank Holiday.
October
Clocks go back claims go up
Burglary rates rise by 5% in the week after the clocks go back compared to the week before.
Car accidents rise by 15% and motorbike accidents by 10% in the week British Winter Time begins.
Tricks not treats
Halloween is the worst day of the year for malicious damage to your home with claims soaring by 150%.
Watch out for your car too - there's a 23% rise in motor thefts on 31 October.
November
Bonfire fright
November 5 is the worst day of the year for burglary - nearly 30% higher than the rest of the year. Dark night and lots of noise all aid the opportunist thief.
And it's the second worst day for malicious damage to the home with double the amount of claims that normal.
Unsurprisingly it's also one of the worst days of the year for fire claims with 50% more than on an average day.
And lock the car and put it in the garage, motor theft claims are 25% higher and malicious damage to cars go up by 50% on 5 November.
December
December is the second worst month for car accidents (after January).
Christmas Day
Is the worst day of the year for fire claims with a 140% increase. Accidents with cooking, candles and all those Christmas lights are the main causes.
New Year's Eve
New Year, new damage, this is the worst day and night of the year for accidental damage claims in the home. The 30% increase is mainly down to spills on carpets, cigarette burns and damage to mobile phones and cameras.
Sadly it's also the second worst day of the year for burglary - 22% more than average - and fire claims - 90% higher than average.
Commenting on the claims calendar Greg Gladwell, director of household claims at Norwich Union, said: "We have looked back at nearly ten years of claims data for this research and it is quite clear that there are particular dates and times of the year when certain events are more likely to happen.
"We all know that freak weather, storms and floods can happen at pretty much any time of the year, but it's interesting to discover that events like theft, accidental damage and water leaks peak in certain seasons.
"So our advice is to watch the roads very carefully in January, be aware of security in and around your garden in March and keep an eye on the kids during the summer holidays!
"And with burglary predicted to rise as the economy continues to slow, home security has to be a top priority this year. Of course insurance is there to pay out when the worst happens, but anything we can do to prevent disruption in the home in the first place has to be a good thing."
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Press office contacts:
Rebecca Holmes
Norwich Union
Telephone: 01603 685 177 / 07800 690 731
E-mail: rebecca.l.holmes@norwich-union.co.uk
Notes to editors:
*All figures from Norwich Union claims data 1998 to 2007
For more information on your home and security go to www.norwichunion.com/saferstreet
Norwich Union is the UK's largest general insurer with a market share of around 15%, with a focus on insurance for individuals and small businesses.
It is a leading provider of life, pensions and investment products and one of the largest financial adviser (FA) providers. FAs provide over 70% of the company's long-term savings business in the UK.
In the summer of 2009 Norwich Union will change its name to Aviva. Aviva is the world's fifth largest insurance group and operates in 27 countries. Aviva is to become the customer brand worldwide, thus enabling the company to compete even more effectively on a global scale for the benefit of customers, staff, business partners and shareholders.
Norwich Union's news releases and a selection of images are available from Aviva's internet press centre at www.aviva.com/media.