Help

BI’s Article search uses Boolean search capabilities. If you are not familiar with these principles, here are some quick tips.

To search specifically for more than one word, put the search term in quotation marks. For example, “workers compensation”. This will limit your search to that combination of words.

To search for a combination of terms, use quotations and the & symbol. For example, “hurricane” & “loss”.

Login Register Subscribe

Busy times for Christmastime claims adjusters

Reprints
Christmas claims adjusters

Christmas decorations roasting on an open fire. Reindeer stolen from your lawn.

 

Such are among the 12 most common insurance claims, according to London-based insurer Aviva PLC, which recently released its list of “regular festive fiascos” that it handled during December and January over the last five years.

 

To avoid a claim, here’s a list homeowners might want to check twice:

 

  1. One-hundred-and-ten cracked TVs, knocked over while customers were putting up or taking down Christmas decorations.
  2. Seventy-seven candle calamities, with candle centerpieces burning dining tables, flames setting fire to Christmas decorations and wax spilled on carpets.
  3. Sixty-eight carpets and floors stained or damaged by water from real Christmas trees.
  4. Twenty-seven Christmas party mishaps where possessions were lost or stolen while customers were celebrating. Popular items included mobile phones, jewelry and watches.
  5. Fifteen items accidentally thrown out with discarded wrapping paper. Lost possessions included eyeglasses, earrings and hearing aids.
  6. Eleven instances of feet going through ceilings while customers were retrieving Christmas decorations from their attics.
  7. Seven sets of lights caused fires when they over-heated.
  8. Six cookers were destroyed while cooking Christmas dinner, with pans and pots dropped on hobs and hard-working ovens catching fire.
  9. Five ornamental reindeer have been stolen from gardens.
  10. Four Christmas card catastrophes: a pot of ink knocked onto a carpet, a phone and a china centerpiece smashed while writing Christmas cards, and spilling superglue on a sofa while making handmade cards.
  11. Two gold rings: One customer was making mince pies and took off her rings while she was preparing pastry. Unfortunately, they got thrown out with the rubbish when tidying up.
  12. One case of Santa’s sleigh crashing into a house and damaging a doorway, when the horses pulling the vehicle became startled.

 

 

 

 

 

Read Next