According to data collated by the Halifax home insurance division people in the UK have a bicycle stolen at a rate of just over one every minute.
The actual rate is one every sixty-five seconds, worsening from one every seventy-one seconds last year. The data also shows that London is the most dangerous place to own a bicycle, perhaps unsurprising as the bike is a popular form of transport in major cities like this. A Halifax spokesman suggested a simple way to cut the rate of bike theft would be to use a simple U shaped lock when the bike is left unattended.
The Halifax insurance spokesman also suggested looking at garden security, since many bicycles are kept in garden sheds or just in the back garden itself. Simple security is not expensive and could mean a home insurance claim is not needed.
As costs rise so the amount needed to replace household items increases also. The need for home insurance is therefore greater than ever say Direct Line.
Having surveyed a selection of UK adults the insurer found that the typical cost of replacing or repairing damaged household items was around GBP200. The most common incidents were red wine spills, broken vases and damaged furniture. Each of these is covered with Direct Line home insurance and the peace of mind that cover brings, as well as the money it can save, is of real benefit to customers.
At the moment Direct Line have a special offer on their contents insurance, with free accidental damage cover provided to all new customers. In addition, when the time for renewal comes these same customers will also be eligible for a 10 percent discount as long as they have not made a claim.
An agreement regarding flood insurance between the government and the Association of British Insurers has been supported by AA Insurance.
The agreement will ensure there is a much better understanding of the risk of flooding in different areas as well as improving the accessibility to home insurance for households on low incomes. There will also be changes to the planning system said A Insurance to ensure developments are not placed in areas where the risk of flooding is high.
A spokesman from AA Insurance said that providers of home insurance, like themselves, are well aware of the greater risk of flooding that faces the UK and are structuring their premiums accordingly. Although the premiums will be higher than previously the good news is that cover will still be provided, something that was a concern previously when it was suggested some areas would be uninsurable.
