Lost jewellery claims run 25% higher in Halloween week, Aviva data shows
The insurer looked at four years of home insurance claims and found a short spike around 31 October, mostly from jewellery lost rather than stolen.
Home insurance claims for lost jewellery rise by about a quarter in the week around Halloween, according to figures from Aviva.
The insurer compared claims notified between 28 October and 3 November in each year from 2022 to 2025 with the same days in the four weeks either side. Jewellery claims were 25% higher in the Halloween week, then dropped back to normal levels.
Most were for accidental loss rather than theft. Aviva said that suggests people are wearing or carrying valuable items on nights out and at parties, and coming home without them.
Pumpkins, make-up and eggs
The figures also picked up a range of claims linked to the season. Among the examples Aviva gave were a smashed pumpkin that leaked across a laminate floor and up a wall, make-up spilled on a sofa while someone got ready for a party, and a lit pumpkin that set fire to outdoor decorations. Front doors and windows hit by eggs also featured.
The average Halloween-related claim came to £1,113. The largest was a burglary claim of more than £30,000.
Halloween falls on a Saturday this year, when many households will be out at parties or taking children trick or treating.
What the insurer suggests
Aviva's advice for the week is mostly about checking cover before anything goes missing.
Personal belongings cover. Standard home insurance does not always protect items taken out of the house. Personal belongings cover is usually an optional extra and can cover phones, bags and jewellery away from home.
Single item limits. Most policies cap how much they will pay for any one item. Anything worth more than that limit usually has to be listed separately on the policy.
Up-to-date values. Aviva suggests checking that the sums insured match what a home's contents are worth now, and getting expensive pieces valued regularly.
A lived-in look. Timer lights, locked doors and windows and keeping party or travel plans off social media all make an empty home less obvious. Sheds and side gates should be locked too.
The insurer's simplest suggestion is to leave valuable jewellery and watches at home on Halloween night if they are not needed.
