BBC Report Highlights Most Common Items Stolen From UK Homes
A report conducted by the British Broadcasting Company (BBC) recently looked into the most common reason citizens in the United Kingdom file insurance claims. The results were quite surprising: it turns out that stolen bicycles are one of the most common reasons UK citizens file an insurance claim. Of all theft-related homeowner’s insurance claims filed in the United Kingdom:
- Seventeen percent of all theft-related claims were for stolen bicycles;
- Eleven percent of theft-related claims were for mobile telephones;
- Power tools and laptop computers each accounted for ten percent of homeowner theft-related claims; and
- Television sets only accounted for three percent of theft-related claims.
According to the report, the items that thieves apparently prefer to steal from homes have two things in common: (1) value, and (2) portability. With the days of fall getting shorter and the nights getting longer, it is important for homeowners on both sides of “the pond” to ensure their valuables are secured indoors at night and, preferably, any time the homeowner is not outdoors to monitor his or her home.
Florida Thefts and Homeowner Insurance Claims
The BBC report did not investigate how its findings regarding UK homeowner insurance claims compared with homeowner insurance claims filed in the United States. However, information from the Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigation show that the most commonly stolen items in the United States include:
- Cash;
- Portable electronic devices like cameras and cell phones;
- Guns (the Bureau of Justice Statistics establish that nearly 175,000 guns were stolen from homes every year between 2005 and 2010);
- Laptop computers;
- Jewelry; and
- Prescription and over-the-counter medications.
When your home is burglarized, whether for a bicycle, a portable electronic device, or jewelry, your homeowner’s insurance policy typically will cover the value of the stolen property. This repayment is subject to your policy’s deductible and any limitations of the policy.
You Can File a Claim for Stolen Property, But Should You File a Claim?
Even though the property stolen from your home may be covered under your homeowner’s policy, you should consider whether it makes sense to file a homeowner’s insurance claim. Before calling your homeowner’s insurance company and filing a claim, you should consider:
- The deductible on your policy may be close to or more than the actual replacement cost of the item(s). Before filing a claim, you should consider shopping at a store or online and learning what a comparable item would cost.
- Your homeowner’s insurance premium may increase as a result of filing a claim.
You can reach Miami Insurance Claims Lawyer J.P. Gonzalez-Sirgo by dialing his direct number at (786) 272-5841, calling the main office at (305) 461-1095, or Toll Free at 1 (866) 71-CLAIM or email Attorney Gonzalez-Sirgo directly at [email protected].
