Changing face of UK’s household fears

Falling victim to identity theft is a bigger concern for homeowners aged over 50 than vandalism, according to research by Saga Home insurance. Over four in five (82%) respondents in Saga’s survey said they were worried falling victim to identity theft, replacing more traditional homeowner concerns such as being uninsured, which just over half the sample (58%) were worried about.

The top household fear was being burgled, something which plays on the mind of almost nine in ten Saga customers (89%) Aesthetics are not forgotten though, with external damage to property a high priority with over three quarters of the sample (78%) highlighting vandalism as a worrying thought. Perhaps surprisingly after the large scale recent flooding, under a third (29%) of respondents cited flooding or storm damage as a major concern

The top 5 home phobias are:

1. Burglary (89%%)
2. Identity theft (82%)
3. Vandalism (78%)
4. Storm damage/flooding (74%)
5. Bogus doorstep intruders (64%)

The research also showed that today’s over 50s make peaceful neighbours, with over half (57%) saying that they were not at all fearful about disputes with their neighbours, and only a tiny 7% citing this was a important concern, suggesting them to be closer to neighbours from heaven than hell. Groups of people loitering on the streets was also a relatively low worry, with only one in five (20%) scared by this phenomenon.

Andrew Goodsell, Chief Executive, Saga Group Ltd, said: “The findings from our customers reflect how society is changing. Twenty years ago identity theft was a rare occurrence, but now it is something everyone must be aware of. It has replaced more traditional concerns such as flooding and being uninsured. The survey also highlights that neighbourhood disputes appear to be a thing of the past, suggesting that the over 50s make the best neighbours!”