It is not only alcohol that threatens to give many Millennium party goers a hangover on 1 January 2000. With Britain engulfed in Millennium party fever on New Year’s Eve, unlucky revellers face waking up to a financial hangover the next day.

To ensure you do not start the new millennium paying for the old one, the Association of British Insurers offers some timely tips for anyone organising a private millennium party:

• Put valuable items out of the way to avoid accidents.
  
  
• If planning a few fireworks in the garden, follow basic safety procedures. Keep the fireworks in a metal box out of the reach of children and animals until they are needed; make sure children are aware of the dangers; light fireworks one at a time at arm’s length and don’t try to light a fireworks that don’t go off. Try to avoid them damaging your own, or a neighbour’s property.
  
  
• Accidents happen – so make sure you have a first aid kit handy.
  
  
• Keep an eye out for burglars. Make sure you know who is coming into your home – don’t leave it to guests to let people in. If you are visiting friends, make sure your home is secure and leave a light on so that it looks occupied.
  
  
• Check the scope of cover provided by your household policy. If you have accidental damage cover this will cover most, but not all, damage. Accident damage protection can be added for both buildings and contents policies, so check with your insurer. Your contents policy will cover your legal liability as occupier to pay damages if you are responsible for causing injury to another person or damage to their property.
  
  
• If you intend to hold a street party, or are selling tickets for a gathering in your own home, tell your home insurer. Household policies are not designed to cover large scale or commercial events, so your insurer will need to assess what you are planning, to see if they are able to provide any cover

Notes

1. Enquiries to:
   Malcolm Tarling 020 7216 7410 (Home: 020 8297 9510)



2. An ISDN line is available for broadcasts.