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• Government figures reveal today that 726‚000 people were burgled last year¹  
• More than 110‚000 people over the age of 65 were victims of burglary¹
• Risks of being burgled generally decrease with age‚ however people over the age of 65 are still significantly at risk of theft2
• Forgetting to set alarms‚ lock windows and deadlock doors when leaving home can invalidate home insurance

With millions of sun-seeking Brits set to leave their homes empty in the coming weeks‚ government burglary statistics that are published today highlight the importance of protecting your home from housebreakers‚ says Age Concern.

Burglars cost the nation £2.8 billion each year³ and there are estimated to be 83 burglaries every hour.¹ People over the age of 65 fell victim to over 110‚000 burglaries last year¹ and the risks increase dramatically when homes sit empty over the summer holidays.

Antony Osborne from Age Concern Insurance Services said: “Generally‚ risk of burglary decreases with age‚ but government figures show that people over the age of 65 are still significantly at risk of burglary1. Older people are often more susceptible to the emotional stress as well as the financial loss caused by theft.”

“A good home insurance policy is a pre-requisite for protecting against the financial problems that burglary can bring‚ but it is not a substitute for basic security measures like fitting alarms‚ deadlocks on doors and high-quality window locks. Government figures show that households with no security measures are almost ten times more likely to be victims of burglary.¹”

“If you’re leaving the house empty‚ as many people will be this summer‚ fit automatic timers to your lights and ask a trusted neighbour to watch your home. Remember to cancel milk and newspapers if you have them delivered and perhaps ask a friend or family member to remove mail from view - piles of unopened post is a sure sign that the house is empty.”

Surprisingly‚ in around 20 per cent of burglaries no force was used to enter the home.3 What’s more‚ leaving windows and doors open or unlocked when going on holiday or in the heat of the summer‚ not only acts as an invitation into your home for opportunist burglars‚ but could also invalidate your home insurance policy. If you install and declare an alarm to your insurer‚ it could become a condition of your cover that you use it – even if you’re just leaving the house for a few minutes. If you don’t set the alarm‚ any claims you have to make may be reduced or even worse‚ rejected.

While taking the necessary precautions can drastically reduce the chances of falling victim to burglars‚ it cannot completely eliminate the risk. Marie Paul-Everard from Bristol was unlucky enough to have her house burgled as she and her husband stood outside cleaning their motor home. Opportunist thieves struck when their backs were turned and broke in to steal Marie’s handbag. “The incident came as a terrible shock and left me feeling insecure and unsafe when leaving home afterwards‚” Marie said.

“This was made worst when I heard of the spate of burglaries in the local area over that bank holiday weekend. Fortunately‚ the financial side was taken care of by Age Concern and they paid out on my home insurance policy within four days. After such a bad experience it was reassuring that everything was dealt with so quickly and efficiently.”

If the worst does happen and your house is burgled‚ report it to the police as soon as possible. By keeping receipts and taking photographs of valuable items that are covered under your home insurance‚ you can prove ownership to your insurer in the event of them being stolen‚ which will help speed the settlement of any claim.

Age Concern Insurance Services offers home contents insurance from £40 a year4and it is one of the few policies to offer a very low minimum sum insured – just £7‚500.5 This allows older people with fewer possessions to pay only for the cover they need.  Age Concern Insurance Services also offers a free 24-hour helpline6 for emergency assistance providing qualified and authorised repairers and offers interest free instalments to spread the cost of insurance.

Profits generated by Age Concern Insurance Services go directly to national and local Age Concern charities‚ raising additional funds for invaluable support services such as day centres‚ home visits and transportation as well as helping the national charity campaign for the well-being and rights of older people.

For a free‚ no-obligation quotation or immediate cover call 0845 606 5075.  Calls are charged at a local call rate.  Lines are open Monday to Friday 8am – 8pm‚ Saturday 9am – 5pm.  Or if you prefer to discuss your options face-to-face‚ then please visit your local Age Concern and speak to a trained member of staff in person7.

– Ends –

¹ Crime in England and Wales‚ 2006/2007 - British Crime Survey‚ Home Office‚ 19 July 2007
² 2006 home insurance claims statistics‚ Fortis and Age Concern Insurance Services‚ May 2007
³ Home Office estimate‚ 2006
4  Premiums vary according to individual circumstances: all applications are subject to underwriting
5 The sum insured must represent the full replacement cost as new of all contents
6 You will need to pay for the costs of any contractor found through this service. Written quotations available on request.
7 Not all Age Concerns offer all Age Concern products and services. Please check (by telephoning your local office) before arranging a visit.  If you need details of your local Age Concern‚ look in Yellow Pages under the Home Insurance section.

For further information‚ please contact George Morrison or Derya Filiz on 0207 025 7500 / george.morrison@trimediahc.com or derya.filiz@trimediahc.com

Notes to editors

Age Concern Home Insurance

Age Concern offers home contents insurance from under £40 a year and is one of the few insurance policies which offers a very low minimum sum insured‚ thereby allowing older people with fewer possessions to pay only for the cover they need.  Importantly‚ the policy is index-linked so that the level of cover rises with inflation and helps ensure the full replacement value of goods will be available.

Age Concern Home Insurance provides:

• Contents cover against perils such as fire‚ flooding and theft and includes the option to cover personal possessions outside the home.  Buildings insurance is also available and provides cover for £400‚000 in most instances. Policies are indexed linked so that sums insured are increased in line with inflation.
• Low minimum contents sums insured from £7‚500 (the sum insured must represent the full replacement cost as new of all contents).
• A low £25 excess (for most claims) except for example subsidence where the typical excess is £1‚000 and touring caravan claims.
• A range of additional benefits are automatically included e.g. costs of alternative accommodation‚ accidental damage to mirrors and glass‚ spoilage of frozen food and replacement of external locks if keys are lost or stolen.
• A 24 hour domestic emergency helpline providing qualified and authorised repairers.
• A free legal helpline for independent and confidential advice on any legal problem.
• Interest free instalment option allows customers to spread payments.  Written quotations available on request.

Age Concern Insurances

Age Concern began offering insurance in 1983 by offering better value home insurance for older people. General insurance was an area in which over-50s had been ill served for a long time. Starting as a local service‚ it has grown to be one of the UK’s leading general insurance brands for older people.

Today Age Concern plays a dual role. It endeavours to offer some of the best value policies available while ensuring that these products are designed to meet the specific needs of older customers.  All profits generated by Age Concern from selling products and services go directly to support Age Concern’s charitable activities.

Age Concern’s product range has developed through demand to include buildings‚ home‚ contents‚ travel‚ and motor insurance and motor breakdown services.

Home insurance policies can be bought either face to face through any of the 160 participating local Age Concern groups and organisations or direct by phone – the 0845 number quoted is operated by Fortis Insurance Ltd which provides and manages Age Concern Home Insurance and is not a member of the Age Concern Group of companies. In an age which is becoming more technology driven‚ Age Concern is invaluable in offering older people a personal service at a local level with which many feel most comfortable.

Age Concern & why it trades
At a local level‚ Age Concern offers a range of services for older people‚ such as day centres‚ luncheon clubs‚ and advice and information services.

At a national level‚ Age Concern campaigns with and for older people: developing policy; influencing Government; training care professionals; supporting local Age Concern bodies‚ financially and professionally.

To fund this work‚ Age Concern needs a constant flow of independent income. It seeks to achieve this through a balance of traditional fund raising and trading activities.

Age Concern’s trading activities include a range of products such as General Insurance and Energy Services which are designed with the needs to older people in mind.

About Fortis
Fortis Insurance Limited in the UK provides a full range of personal and small package commercial insurance products and is rated Api by Standard and Poor’s. The insurer is the 3rd largest private car insurer in the UK‚ has a proven and award-winning track record for providing outstanding customer service and claims handling and is totally committed to the intermediated market. Recent awards include the Insurance Times Motor Insurer of the Year‚ (2001-2003 and 2005) and the Insurance Times Claims Award (2005).

Journalists contact:

Trimedia
Derya Filiz
Elly Kestenbaum
Imogen Davies

Telephone:
0207 025 7500