Everest industry news

08 July 2008

New estimates from the insurer Zurich reveals that Brits currently have more than £6.3 billion in valuables left unattended in homes across the UK and the world.

The firm's findings suggest that some property owners are leaving in excess of £100,000 in personal belongings in second homes that can be vacant for months at a time.

Approximately 52 per cent of homes from home are left empty for at least one month or more on a regular basis, the poll shows, though most owners encourage family or friends to make use of their extra properties.

The typical second home owner is purported to leave £15,200 in personal items at the mercy of burglars, in houses left completely unoccupied for extended periods.

One in five admit to being genuinely concerned for their goods during spells when their second home is empty, as many find that local criminals deliberately target homes that are left unattended.

Despite this, six per cent knowingly leave their properties unprotected by any form of security, while just one in five have an alarm. Not even half of the second home owners surveyed had locks on their windows.

"There has been a steady rise in the number of customers with second homes, either in the UK or abroad," observed Nick Brabham, head of Zurich Private Clients.

"While we're using them, we often let our guard down as we relax and unwind, but we need to ensure that we don't compromise on security or cover, leaving our property vulnerable and thousands of pounds of our possessions at risk."

In addition to insuring their possessions, property owners with holiday homes - wherever they may be - should strongly consider burglar deterrents such as alarms, double glazing and strong locks on all doors and windows.