07 November 2008 / by Rebecca Sargent
Car owners are leaving themselves open to theft as new research from LV= reveals that 80 per cent of drivers have left valuables in their cars.
As a result of this carelessness, according to LV=, the number of cars being broken into has risen. In fact, according to the research, a quarter of all UK drivers claim to have been a victim of a car break-in.
The research found that negligent Brits are regularly leaving high value items such as mobile phones, clothes and wallets in their cars. However, men were found to be more careless than women, leaving goods worth an average of £380 in their cars, compared to the national average of £283.
Commenting on the lack of care being shown by UK drivers, Liverpool Victoria car insurance spokesperson, Emma Holyer said: “These figures show a casual attitude amongst motorists when it comes to leaving their belongings in the car. The fact is that most car break-ins are by opportunist thieves who would probably not bother to break into the car if it looked as though it didn’t contain anything to steal.”
Due to such high volumes of people leaving valuables on show, LV= is advising UK drivers to check their car insurance for contents cover.Some car insurance policies will cover contents so motorists should ensure they have this cover so that if the worst happens they are not out of pocket.
“However to avoid the hassle of having your car broken into, we’d advise people not to leave any visible valuables in their car in the first place, as this will massively reduce the likelihood of any break-in.”
© Fair Investment Company Ltd