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• Five point winter checklist can protect older peoples’ homes this winter‚  says Age Concern Insurance Services
• Minimise the risk of distress by protecting your home from preventable damage 

As people across Britain brace themselves for more wintery conditions‚ Age Concern Insurance Services (ACIS) is encouraging older home owners to carry out a simple check on their property to help minimise the risks of burst pipes and other cold weather related problems.

As the Met Office advises that January may well herald cold snaps - “there has been a return to a finely balanced situation where the influence of El Niño may encourage cold outbreaks during mid to late winter”1 - Age Concern is reminding older homeowners to take precautions to protect against the worst of the weather.

As older people are more likely to live in older housing than the population as a whole² they tend to be more vulnerable to damage such as cracked pipes and damp or faulty radiators that could be in need of repairs.

And‚ for those on lower or fixed incomes‚ an emergency call out to fix a burst pipe or other common malfunctions would put additional financial burdens on those who can least afford it.
“But just by taking a few precautionary measures‚ homes can be better protected against the worst of the weather‚” said David Hoyle of Age Concern Insurance Services.

“The ACIS Winter Home MOT is a simple five step plan to help homeowners reduce the risk of winter weather damage to their property. Follow it and risks to your home should be minimised‚” he added.

Key recommendations

1. Know the location of your mains water stop valve. It will need to be turned off and on in case of a burst pipe
2. Check that the central heating is working efficiently and if there are any leaking pipes or radiators
3. Make sure all fences and gates are properly maintained and repaired to minimise damage caused by strong winds
4. What about the roof? Have it checked for any cracked or dislodged tiles and the gutters for cracks or debris
5. Make sure you have adequate home insurance and check the precise level of cover your policy offers

Age Concern Insurance Services (ACIS) offers home insurance from under £43 a month and it is one of the few policies to offer a very low minimum sum insured. This allows older people with fewer possessions to pay only for the cover they need.  ACIS also offers a free 24-hour helpline4 for emergency assistance providing qualified and authorised repairers and offers interest free instalment to spread the cost of insurance.

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 you can visit your local Age Concern5.

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

ACIS also produces a free leaflet entitled ‘A Practical Guide For Protecting & Maintaining Your Home’.  Visit your local Age Concern or call 0800 169 2700 for more information.

- Ends -

For further information‚ please contact George Morrison or  Derya Filiz on 020 7404 6777  / george.morrison@trimediahc.com or derya.filiz@trimediahc.com

¹  Met Office‚ December 2006
² Age Concern England 2006
³ Equivalent figure based on minimum annual premium of £36.75. Instalment option available for annual premium over £50‚ and first year premium paid as a deposit and 10 instalments.  Written quotations available on request.
⁴  You will need to pay for the costs of any contractor found through this service.
⁵ Not all Age Concerns offer all Age Concern products. 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.

Notes to editors

About Age Concern Home Insurance

Age Concern Insurance Services (ACIS) offers Home insurance from under £4 per month 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 the full replacement value of goods will be made available.

Age Concern Home Insurance provides:

• Contents cover against perils such as fire‚ flooding and theft that includes the option of building insurance. 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).
• 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.
• Option to spread payments over 12 months.  Written quotations available on request.

Age Concern Insurance Services (ACIS)

Age Concern Insurance Services (ACIS) was created in 1983 to offer better value 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 brands regarding general insurance for older people.

Today ACIS 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.

ACIS’ product has developed through demand to include home‚ contents‚ travel‚ motor‚ and motor breakdown insurance.

Policies can be bought either direct by phone‚ or through any of the 160 participating local Age Concern groups and organisations. 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 enable it to meet the needs of older people‚ through products specifically designed to meet these needs; quality products such as General Insurance and Energy Services.

Age Concern Enterprises Ltd is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority for general insurance (311438) Age Concern Enterprises Ltd is registered in England and Wales No. 3156159. Registered Office: Astral House‚ 1268 London Road‚ SW16 4ER Age Concern Enterprises Ltd is a trading company of Age Concern England and gives any profits to that registered charity.

Journalists contact:

Trimedia
Derya Filiz
Elly Kestenbaum
Imogen Davies

Telephone:
0207 025 7500