Consumers warned on home insurance laxity

Posted : 26-01-2006

Following the publication of recent Home Office crime figures which showed an increase in robberies, a leading home insurance provider is advising customers to ensure they have adequate cover for all their post-Christmas gadgets.

While this also applies to adults, those at the greatest risk from street crime are children.

The Home Office figures showed that muggings increased by 40 per cent, driven by the number of teenagers carrying expensive gadgets.

For this reason More Than is encouraging consumers to check their home insurance provision before it is too late. But whilst adults are being cautioned on the dangers of street crime, it is children who are most at risk.

Research from More Than found that on average youngsters own over £5,300 of gadgets, many of them carried on their person. The insurer concluded that 68 per cent of 16 – 24 year-olds own a digital camera, 49 per cent with a video phone, 22 per cent own an ipod and 64 per cent own a playstation.

David Pitt, head of insurance at More Than, said: "As this research highlights, there is a proliferation of small but high value gadgets not only in the home now, but also on our person as we go about our daily life.

"It is important to ensure you have enough insurance cover for these items both in the home and when you are carrying them about on your person."

Many consumers are unaware that home insurance covers the loss of items when out-and-about, provided there has not been a case of gross negligence.

The theft of small, high value items has largely offset a decline in traditional burglary.
According to More Than, thieves are now ignoring hefty items such as televisions and videos, in favour of jewellery, cash and handbags.

Mr Pitt continued: "Increased household security has made an impact on the opportunist thief as has the falling price of consumer goods like videos and DVD players. However we are seeing a general increase in valuable items in the home that are attractive to more organised thefts and we are very concerned at the link between burglary and identity theft."

Over £1 billion worth of items are stolen from UK homes every year. Houses most likely to be victims of burglary are those without security measures, followed by homes with a young head of household or lone parent households.


© Adfero Ltd

The views expressed within the article are entirely those of Adfero Ltd and are not those of BDML Connect Ltd