Home Insurance Extras
Many people forget that their home insurance often covers things that are lost out of the house. Home insurance is typically associated with things such as claiming for burglaries or damage to the fabric of the house, machines breaking down and leaky pipes and the like, but the fact that things lost out of doors can still be claimed on the policy is often overlooked.
This is why it is interesting to learn that one in five women have been the victim of handbag theft. It has been shown that this crime now costs UK insurers £55 million per year as people slowly come to realise that they can indeed claim for these kinds of things on their home insurance policy. Indeed, more than half (52%) of women worry about having their handbag stolen and they are looking to find a policy that will give them much more comprehensive cover.
Research has found that the cost of replacing items in a handbag now averages over £100, including make-up, cash, keys, mobile phone, and medication. In addition, handbags themselves are becoming more valuable, with nearly one in ten (9%) handbags worth £250 or more. Pubs are the most likely place for handbags to be stolen, with 14% of thefts happening here. Other common locations for handbag theft include the workplace (12%), shopping malls and supermarkets (12%), night clubs (12%), and from the car (8%).
Frances Browning, a spokesperson for the company who conducted the research said that “many women carry around personal possessions in their handbags that can add up to a small fortune, along with items of sentimental value. “Therefore, it’s no surprise that many are concerned that it might happen to them.”
As the recession deepens analysts are predicting that the number of handbag thefts will rise. Therefore there can be no better time to make sure you are covered. Some insurance policies are fully comprehensive but it is extremely worthwhile checking the small print as some companies can try and wriggle out of their commitments. Try companies such as Kwik Fit insurance who are well regarded in the industry at the moment for a house insurance policy that needs only to be tweaked slightly to allow for things like handbags stolen outside of the home to be included as a matter of course.