Britons Preparing for Home-based World Cup Support

11-Jun-2010

Armchairs and a well-stocked fridge are proving the most popular must-haves for this year's World Cup, according to the Post Office World Cup Spending Report.  However, far from saving money by staying in to watch the games, 30% of fans admit that they will be increasing their spending by an average of 200 GBP over the summer - amounting to a wallet-busting 2 billion GBP in extra personal spending.

31% of people surveyed plan to invite friends round to watch matches, and 15% are stocking up on extra food and drink.  When asked for the top purchase to help celebrate the World Cup, 'More alcohol than usual' came out top, followed by 'a supportive flag for my car or front window' and 'More food than usual'.  Fourth on the list came the rather more pricey 'Plasma TV' ('An LED TV' was seventh), meaning that electronics retailers will be in for a nice windfall this summer.

Gerry Barrett, Head of Post Office Insurance, said: "It seems many people are set to enjoy a "home match" and will be cheering on their favourite team from the comfort of their living room, to avoid the additional expense of buying food and drink in pubs."

"However, with many people planning to invite family and friends to their homes to watch matches, it's important to make sure that any World Cup investments such as new TVs are fully covered in case an accident occurs in all the midst of football fever.  Your team may not win, but the last thing you want is to score an own goal when it comes to your home insurance."

If you are planning on upping the gadget quota in your home ahead of the World Cup, take the time to tally up the total value of your possessions and adjust the 'sum assured' on your home insurance if necessary.   Many households undervalue their belongings and therefore risk losing out if they need to make a claim.   If you do not yet have home possessions insurance and you're among the quarter of World Cup supporters planning on buying an expensive new television this summer, now is the time to get covered.

Click here to get a free quote from a home insurance adviser.