How Safe Are UK Homes? Legal & General's Online 'Safe As Houses' Survey Aims To Provide The Answer -- Berni Ryan

Oct. 21, 2008 - PRLog -- Legal & General's general insurance business annual online survey, ‘Safe as Houses', which asks people for feedback and their views on home security and safety, aims to highlight the safety of UK homes.

One can express their views by logging on to www.legalandgeneral.com/safeashouses. This website provides a general understanding of the home owners’ security and safety concerns as also the precautions they are taking to avoid any uncalled for incident. This survey is running for a month and it would end on Friday 10 October 2008. People entering in the survey stand a chance to win John Lewis vouchers worth £500. The winners will be decided by a lucky draw.

Legal & General will be able to build an overview of home safety concerns in the UK with the help of the survey. This shall be useful in understanding whether clients need to strengthen their home security measures. This comes at a time when all of us are concerned with the rising crime scene in the country, as is evident from Legal & General’s research named ‘Changing Face of British Homes’. It has found that over 33%* of the people surveyed have said that incidents of intentional property damage and vandalism have increased significantly in the UK.

The recent report on Crime in England and Wales 2007/2008** establishes that households without any home security measure faced ten times higher risk of becoming victims of burglary than households with simple security measures like window locks and deadlocks on doors (i.e. 25% in comparison to 2.3%). Home security is definitely the main defence against becoming a burglary victim.

Elaine Parkes, Head of technical services for Legal & General’s general insurance business said: "As a household insurer who is concerned that our customers understand their insurance cover, we believe it is important to improve consumer awareness of home safety and security measures. We have produced a special guide, Safeguarding Your Home***, which outlines how people may protect and safeguard their home and possessions.”

Elaine continued: “Installing an intruder alarm, good quality locks and security lighting or living in a Neighbourhood Watch area can all help to deter a burglar entering a person’s home. As well as providing customers with quality insurance cover we also offer customers a possible discount on the costs of their cover, if they do take some security and safety precautions.” Ends

Notes to Editors:

*. Legal & General’s Changing Face of British Homes research was conducted by YouGov, among a GB representative sample of 4,089adults between 12 and 15 February 2008.
** Link to crime stats is available at http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7511192.stm
*** The Legal & General special guide, Safeguarding Your Home, is available to download at http://www.legalandgenral.com/safeguard
1. Legal & General’s Changing Face of British Homes is an ongoing research by Legal & General’s general insurance business to understand how people from different demographic groups use and relate to their homes. The study will take a look at the home lives of people across the UK in order to understand their changing needs and tastes, http://www.changingfaceofbritishhomes.co.uk
2. The information contained in Legal & General's press release is intended solely for journalists and should not be used by consumers to make financial decisions. Full consumer product information can be found at http://www.legalandgeneral.com or by calling 0800 0277156. We may record and monitor calls. Lines are open 8am to 8pm Monday to Friday and 9am to 5pm Saturday and Sunday. Alternatively, consumers should speak to their insurance adviser to check they do have adequate cover in place.
3. Legal & General Insurance Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority (FSA).
4. Issued by Legal & General Insurance Limited. Registered address is One Coleman Street, London EC2R 5AA.

For more information contact:
Berni Ryan
PR Manager GI and Annuities
t:01737 375 369
m:07788926 790
f:01737 374 275
e: berni.ryan@landg.com

Contact:
Berni Ryan
Web Site: http://www.legalandgeneral.com
Email: joe.wiggins@landg.com
Phone: 01737374275

Address:
Legal & General Insurance Limited
One Coleman Street,
London
UK
EC2R 5AA.

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