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Endsleigh names UK homes most at risk from theft and accidental damage

→ Breakdown of Results

7 March 2005

Endsleigh Insurance today named the UK's worst cities for household theft and accidental damage in the home. Endsleigh has analysed three years of its own claims data covering literally tens of thousands of households across the UK - to identify both the most dangerous and the safest cities in the country.

Endsleigh has compared the frequency of claims in different UK cities to the Endsleigh national average showing the risk of an actual incident occurring rather than just basing conclusions on the total number of incidents that have occurred in each city.

Household Theft

The top three in each category are:

Highest risk cities for burglary:
1. Leeds
2. Hull
3. Nottingham

Safest cities for burglary:
1. Edinburgh
2. Cardiff
3. Swindon

Leeds is the city where you are most likely to suffer a burglary running at 99% above the national average. Hull and Nottingham follow closely behind in second and third place with 84% and 72% respectively.

Residents in Edinburgh are least likely to suffer from burglary with over 56% less claims than the national average. Cardiff and Swindon follow closely behind with 47% and just over 46% respectively.

Those living in Ipswich can also feel pleased that it's the fifth safest place to live in terms of likelihood of burglary. Perhaps surprisingly, London does not appear in the top ten most theft-prone areas.

Accident Prone

The top three in each category are:

Most accident-prone cities:
1. Plymouth
2. Ipswich
3. Swansea

Least accident-prone cities:
1. Manchester
2.Cambridge
3. Bristol

Plymouth has the most accident-prone residents with over 45% more claims made for accidental damage than the national average. Residents in Ipswich are also rather mishap prone - nearly 24% more likely to claim, placing them second in the league table.

Swansea came third in the rankings, making the city more accident-prone than its Welsh neighbour Cardiff, which came in tenth.

Nottingham residents have mixed fortunes. Not so lucky for theft, residents are however the fourth least likely to claim for accidental damage in the country, almost 16% below the national average. Londoners are also amongst the least accident-prone people in the country, coming fifth in the league table

Edinburgh also features eight in the least accident-prone top ten, with residents 10% less likely to claim for accidental damage than the national average.

Householders in Hull, Sheffield and Wolverhampton have the worst luck. All three cities appear in both the worst cities for theft and accidental damage.


Tim Larden, Spokesperson for Endsleigh Insurance said:

"The theft statistics will no doubt provide food for thought for householders across the country. We have laid some preconceived opinions about certain towns and cities to rest, and have also identified areas where much has been done to counter the threats of burglary. It is clear that some cities will need to work hard to ensure that they do not become indelibly marked as crime hotspots."

"The pricing of household insurance is based not only on postcodes but also on many other factors and will therefore vary within different cities. This research underlines the risks faced by householders in our major cities, demonstrating the need for adequate insurance cover."

"Accidental damage can relate to a number of different claims but common examples are spilt drinks and putting your foot through the ceiling floor in the loft."

"These top tens were compiled from policy and claims information gathered between 2001 and the end of 2004. As such they provide a robust benchmark. It will be intriguing to see how crime initiatives such as CCTV, anti social behaviour orders and neighbourhood watch schemes impact on the position of different cities in years to come."

- ENDS -

Notes to editors

Endsleigh is an independent intermediary specialising in the provision of insurance and financial products for career people.

Originally founded in 1965 to serve the student market, Endsleigh is now the preferred insurance supplier for a variety of professional organisations, offering a wide range of services including motor, home, student and travel insurance.

Endsleigh also offers business insurance through Endsleigh Business Insurance Services and financial advice through Endsleigh Financial Independent Tailoring.

Contact Details
For further information about Endsleigh, to arrange an interview or to get more details about case studies, please contact:

Bridget Hargreave, Nick Faith, Aideen McDonald or Ben Frankel at Luther Pendragon on 020 7618 9100 or at endsleigh@luther.co.uk.

Endsleigh Insurance Services Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority. This can be checked on the FSA Register by visiting its web site at www.fsa.gov.uk/register.
Endsleigh Insurance Services Limited. Company No: 856706 registered in England at Shurdington Road, Cheltenham Spa, Gloucestershire GL51 4UE.