Don't Fall Prey to a Handbag Thief

LONDON, May 15, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

One in four women carry a designer bag leaving them at risk of losing £450+

One in ten UK women say they have taken action to prevent an opportunist thief from stealing a handbag, according to a new survey by Allianz Your Cover.

The survey revealed that the average value of a woman's handbag is more than £450, thanks to designer labels, electronic devices, make-up and sunglasses. Worryingly, 24% of women report that they have either lost or had their handbag stolen, leaving them to face a significant outlay to replace the bag and its contents.

Andy James of Allianz Your Cover, said: "I would advise people to always be aware of their bags in a public place as opportunist thieves can strike anywhere from the tube to restaurants and even in supermarkets."

The survey found that mobile phones are one of the most expensive items regularly carried in handbags, with 32% of women claiming their phones are worth more than £150. 14% of women said they also carry an electronic gadget such as a kindle, tablet or iPad, which can range from £80 and £600 in price.

One in five ladies carry a designer purse and one in four owns a designer handbag, with 13% claiming their bag cost them more than £100.

Other expensive items carried in bags are (average value shown in brackets):

• Music device (£112)
• Make-up bag (£62)
• Sunglasses (£54)
• And not forgetting cash (£26)

Andy continues: "Many people will underestimate the value of goods they carry in their handbag but technology means we are carrying more expensive gadgets with us which are extremely costly to replace."

Your Cover Insurance, Allianz UK's flexible insurance offering enables policy holders to purchase personal possessions cover which gives additional protection for items outside of the home.

For more information please visit: http://www.YourCoverInsurance.co.uk

Notes to Editors:

Case study

Pauline Evans, 70, from Cornwall was a victim to an attempted robbery but held on to her bag until the thief gave up and ran away. If you would be interested in further information please feel free to contact the press team.

Pictures are also available of Pauline here: http://www.picdownload.net/AllianzPaulineEvans/

A survey of 1,000 UK female respondents was carried out in March 2012 by 72 Point on behalf of Allianz Insurance.

About Allianz

Allianz Insurance is one of the largest general insurers in the UK and part of the Allianz SE Group, the largest property and casualty insurer worldwide.

About Allianz Your Cover

Your Cover is a new breed of insurance product, offering cover that customers select to precisely match their own lifestyle and circumstances. Using an  easy to use 'Quote and Buy' website, Your Cover makes it simple to design, obtain a quote and manage your insurance online.

The result of two years' research involving thousands of insurance buyers, Your Cover is a product from Allianz Insurance plc, which is a part of the global Allianz Group.