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Picnic pitfalls

Picnic pitfalls

Tuesday, 7 August 2007 12:00 AM

Home insurer Halifax is today warning valuables left unattended while away from the home are unlikely to be covered by home insurance.

Britons will take 20 million picnics in the months of August and September, as summer finally begins, taking £1.5 billion worth of food, drink and equipment with them, according to research by Halifax Home Insurance.

But there is a sinister side to this idyllic pursuit. Around 11 million adults have suffered a robbery in the open air in the past five years, with £8.3 Billion worth of property stolen as a result.

Vicky Emmott, senior manager of underwriting at Halifax Home Insurance, warned: "Britain's love affair with the picnic has been revived by the promise of better weather on the way. But beware, our research shows that thieves are opportunistic and are more likely to ruin your day if you leave your possessions unguarded."

According to the same research some 60 per cent of items are thieved while they were unattended by their owners.

The most commonly taken items are mobile phones, which represent 44 per cent of items stolen, followed by wallets (25 per cent), cameras (eight per cent) and MP3 players (six per cent).

However the picture varies across the country.

Those in Wales and the west spend the least on their outings at £60.63 per event, with Londoners spending the most on their picnics, on average £86.48.