Despite the major gap between perceptions and reality  around household safety and security, almost nine in 10 (89 per cent) of those quizzed believe that homeowners that take safety precautions seriously, such as fitting locks, alarms and other measures should pay lower insurance premiums. However, a surprising and worrying finding reveals that one in five (17 per cent) do not have a home insurance policy.

Ian Parker, Managing Director of Privilege Home Insurance says:

“The gap between people’s perceptions about safety consciousness and the reality is considerable. It seems that many of us are convinced that our homes are safe and yet we are not taking the necessary precautions to keep our homes secure.

“We want to remind people of some simple steps to take to ensure their homes are protected. Our research reveals that many people still don’t have home insurance, but the good news is that the 76 per

To ensure people keep their homes as safe and secure as possible, Privilege Home Insurance has created a simple ‘Don’t leave home without…’ checklist.

Don’t leave home without:

• Checking all doors and windows are closed and locked. 
  


• Switching on the security alarm, if you have one.
  


• Checking all gas and electrical appliances are switched off and not left on standby.
  


• Placing valuables in a safe place.
  


• Ensuring fires and candles are extinguished.
  

Notes: 

This news story applies to the UK.

The research was conducted between 26th and 30th August 2005. YouGov interviewed a sample of 2763 individuals in the UK. The survey was carried out online. Results were weighted to be representative of the known profile of population from the 2001 Census.