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Christmas countdown: RBS Finsure reveals brokers’ top 10 Christmas requests

December 14th 2007

The 10 weirdest and most wonderful Christmas requests made to brokers have been revealed in a new survey by premium finance provider RBS Finsure.

Based on questions to 250 UK brokers this November, the 10 most notable issues brokers have had to manage over the festive season are:

1. A request from a policyholder to insure himself when he was delivered in a large box to his girlfriend’s where he was due to jump out armed with an engagement ring.
   
2. A claim for a Christmas tree fire caused by a pet dog urinating on the tree’s lights.
   
3. A claim for a wedding ring lost while stuffing a turkey.
   
4. A request for cover for unusual Christmas presents including a sterling silver marmite jar and a tarantula.
   
5. A request to cover £50,000 worth of jewellery from Tiffany’s in 1975, with the top item worth £39,000. The call came on Christmas Eve when, according to the broker, ‘most underwriters were in the pub!’
   
6. A car accident resulting in the car being towed away with a frozen turkey in the boot. This led to a claim for car repairs, the cost of a turkey and loss of Christmas dinner.
   
7. A request to cover liability for a Santa and reindeer to fly over a crowd down a zipwire.
   
8. A request to cover a gift-wrapped sports car for a client’s wife to be delivered on 25 December by a man dressed as Santa (who also had to be secretly added to the policy) with champagne and flowers.
   
9. A request to cover a Christmas light switch-on event but as guest Sooty was classed as a celebrity, the existing insurer declined to provide cover and a specialised one-off event insurance had to be arranged.
   
10. A request to insure a jewel encrusted sex-aid that a client purchased for his wife from Holland which was valued in excess of £5,000. It is believed the jewels are now part of a more traditional item!

The top 10 requests were judged by RBS Finsure’s managing director Trevor Brittain and his team based on the results of their survey.

Commenting on the results, Mr Brittain said: “Clearly insurance is not as mundane as some people think and Christmas is always a good time for some classic and unusual examples.

“And let’s not forget the claims for chimney breasts damaged by large red-suited gentlemen and homes destroyed by lords-a-leaping, maids-a-milking, turtle doves and French hens sent by overzealous true loves. All in the name of good festive cheer!”

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