21st July 2008
The head rules the heart for over 50s when homes are under threat
The thought of our homes being engulfed in flames or deluged by floodwater is the stuff of nightmares that perhaps only having decent
buildings insurance and contents cover can help assuage. Even so, lots of us have pondered which personal possession we would rush to save if the worst happened – an irreplaceable memento, a valuable antique or heirloom, a romantic keepsake? All obvious choices, but new
research from RIAS, the specialist
insurer for the over 50s, found that mature homeowners are far more likely to be practical and save their ‘important documents’, such as passport, birth certificate and driving licence, if they had to evacuate in a hurry.
39% of over 50s homeowners polled said they would first elect to salvage important documents or, as a second and equally pragmatic choice, to pick up a handbag or wallet. Third place in the poll was given to a more sentimental item, the family photo album, but it was back to reality at number four with a laptop. Jewellery and dentures or spectacles were also on the list of possessions worthy of rescuing.
There were differences between men and women too, with 55% of men citing important documents as their first choice compared with 45% of women. A large proportion of the female vote went to the ubiquitous handbag (24%) while just 12% of men chose their wallets. 21% of women opted for the photo album compared to 15% of men. And, predictably, men went for the laptop in greater numbers (12%) than the women (2%). The results weren’t all about the head ruling the heart, however, as one woman revealed she would actually save her childhood teddy.
Better protection with RIAS home insurance
“Coping with the effects of a fire or flood in our own homes is something we all hope we will never have to confront in our lifetimes,” says Janet Connor, RIAS Managing Director, “Yet the over 50s are clearly a level-headed lot when it comes to thinking about the practicalities of such a crisis. One sensible precaution is to invest in suitable buildings and content insurance and a fireproof security box that will protect all those documents, as well as jewellery and other key items. The other must is, of course, having the right buildings and contents insurance. This really is of paramount importance, as is making sure you have the correct level of insurance in place. RIAS specialises in tailoring its cover to the customer’s individual
insurance needs, giving real peace of mind.”
Note to Editors - RIAS is currently offering a third off its joint buildings and contents insurance
1. The offer is only available on new quotes given and accepted by customers between 1st July 2008 and 30th September 2008. The offer is not available to existing customers whose policies renew during this period.
2. The offer is only available when a joint buildings and contents policy is purchased at the same time.
3. Any subsequent changes to your policy will have amended premiums calculated at our standard rates at that point in time.
4. The offer applies in the first year of the policy only.
5. Existing RIAS home insurance customers are not eligible for this offer.
6. This offer is not available in conjunction with any other offer or promotion. This includes the RIAS 90-day price promise, which will not apply to quotes subject to this offer.
7. RIAS plc reserves the right to withdraw or amend this offer at any time.
Janet Connor, Managing Director of RIAS is available for further comment and interview. To arrange an interview with, or photography of, Janet, please call Sadie Sheppard on 01202 254489 or e-mail ssheppard@rias.co.uk
About RIAS
• RIAS was established in 1992 and is a specialist provider of insurance products for the over 50s age group
• RIAS negotiates with a panel of insurers to secure competitive, value for money products
• RIAS has over 970,000 customers and employs over 1,200 people across two locations - Bournemouth and Belfast
• In July 2007 RIAS’ home insurance contents and buildings policies received four ‘Best Buy’ awards from Which? magazine
• In December 2007 RIAS won the ‘Personal Lines Broker of the year” award at the Insurance Times awards
RIAS is part of Fortis (Insurance UK), a leading provider of award-winning personal and commercial lines insurance solutions in the UK and the 2007 British Insurance Awards 'General Insurer of the Year'. The insurer's successful customer-centric strategy has been founded on aligning its activities to how customers want to buy insurance, combined with delivering high quality products, manufactured at costs better than market norms.
Fortis's unique multi-distribution capability enables it to deliver products face-to-face, by phone (inbound and outbound), over the Internet and via SMS technology. Aligning its business activities with its partners' general insurance strategies enables Fortis to offer end-to-end white label capabilities in product development, marketing, campaign management, sales, fulfilment and claims - providing a seamless integration with partner brands.
Insuring in excess of 6.7 million customers and working with a range of partners, Fortis is recognised for delivering consistent and high-quality customer experiences. It employs 2,901 people as of 31/12/07 with a head office based in Eastleigh and others in Belfast, Bournemouth, Gloucester, Haywards Heath, Redditch, and Stoke-on-Trent. In 2007, its profit before tax and interest (excluding impact of weather related events) was £92.2 million and its GWP was 757.8 million.
For further information please contact:
Sadie Sheppard
RIAS Public Relations
01202 254489