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Confused.com reveals that barking mad Brits leave homes unprotected

New research from home insurance expert, Confused.com has revealed that UK homes are woefully unprotected against intruders with more than three in five (61%) having absolutely no security systems set up.

Latest statistics from The Office of National Statistics (ONS) show that in the past year (2011-12), the UK has been subjected to 677,000 burglaries, yet Brits are still failing to protect their homes against unwanted intruders.

With so many attacks on homes in just 12 months, it’s unsurprising that more than a third (38%) of Brits rarely or never feel safe in their own homes. Despite this, a worrying two fifths (42%) don’t have basic security systems such as motion sensors in place, while a third (33%) don’t even have security lights set up.

ONS figures reveal that flats in urban areas that have been lived in for less than a year are the most likely to be targeted by intruders and burglars. Houses with an annual income of less than £10,000 are also among the most tempting targets for pesky prowlers.

While Brits are woefully unprotected against unwanted visitors, they do believe that deterrents would help allay their fears. A quarter (25%) of UK homeowners believe that guard dogs make for the best intruder deterrents, and in fact nearly two thirds (61%) of dog owners admit to leaving their dogs at home while they’re away on short breaks to ward off would-be burglars. With almost nine in ten (88%) Brits admitting that just seeing an unchained dog on a property would be enough to stop them from entering, it’s undeniable that having a dog at home is an effective deterrent of burglars.

However, an ‘attack’ from a guard dog doesn’t need to be physical to be effective. Nearly a fifth (19%) of respondents admitted that the bark is the most unnerving thing about a dog. A Labrador’s bark is seen as the third scariest (7%), just behind Pit Bulls (9%), while German Shepherds (45%) are the clear winner. German Shepherds have a history of being effective guard dogs. Their size intimidates intruders, and the Guinness World Record holder for the World’s Loudest Bark is held by a German Shepherd as well.

World Record holder, Daz, of Clacton-on-Sea can bark at up to 108 decibels and has been instrumental in keeping his house safe.

With his in mind, Confused.com has launched a free-to-download audio recording of Daz which homeowners can leave playing in their home while they’re out and about. Daz barks intermittently on a reel to create the illusion that the house is occupied and to scare off would-be-intruders so that people across the country can go about their business, safe in the knowledge they’ve got a more secure home. The Doggie Deterrent audio file can be downloaded here - www.confused.com/home-insurance/dogs-prevent-burglaries-for-barking-mad-brits.

Gareth Kloet, Head of home insurance at Confused.com, said: “There are plenty of simple steps you can take to reduce the risk of your home being burgled. Drawing the curtains at night when you’re out; installing security lights and fitting an alarm that’s working are just a few. What’s really stood out in this research is the positive impact having a dog at home has on home security; it helps deter intruders while reassuring the homeowner as well.”

Via EPR Network
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Confused.com reveals that men named Brian have the best credit profile in the UK

Confused.com has revealed men named Brian have on average the best credit profile in the UK, while for ladies it is Helen.

In contrast, the first name with the poorest average credit profile is Lisa, while the male equivalent is Daniel.

Confused.com, the comparison site, analysed data from thousands of its customers who have used its free Credit Card Matcher Tool this year to reveal the names with the best and worst credit profiles in the UK. Confused.com is urging consumers to think about their credit history before they apply for a credit card, as a rejected application can negatively affect your credit score.

When it comes to surnames, people with the last name of Edwards have on average the best credit profile in the UK. Meanwhile, the surname with the lowest average credit profile is Thompson.

As well as a credit name lottery of sorts, the research reveals the existence of a postcode lottery when it comes to good and bad credit. The UK postcode with the highest average credit profile among its residents is SL4 in Slough. Meanwhile, SA1 in Swansea – the postcode with the poorest average credit profile – has a score 10% below the national average.

The research shows that age also makes a difference when it comes to credit scores as on average people’s credit history improves as they get older. Average scores for people aged 65 and over are 8% higher than the national average, according to the research. Meanwhile, the age bracket with the worst average credit profile is 18 to 24 – 4% lower than the national average.

Nerys Lewis, head of credit cards at Confused.com, said: “While our research shows the names with the best and worst credit profiles in the UK, people’s names are obviously not a rating factor when looking at credit. So if you’re called Brian you won’t automatically be gifted with a great profile, or penalised because your name is Lisa.

“We would encourage people to think about their credit history as a good or bad score can have a number of implications, such as your likelihood of acceptance for credit cards and also loans and mortgages.

“There are certain things you can do to improve your situation if your credit history is non-existent, or not quite up to scratch. For example, a credit building card may be one option. By using a credit building card sensibly, you demonstrate to lenders, such as banks, that you can borrow and pay back money responsibly. This in turn helps to build up your credit history.”

Confused.com’s Credit Card Matcher Tool allows people to check their likelihood of acceptance for a credit card before they apply.

Lewis added: “By using our free Credit Card Matcher Tool, people can potentially avoid a negative credit card application. If you apply and are not accepted then a lot of people aren’t aware that this can harm your credit score.”

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Confused.com reveals the benefits and dangers of Baby on Board signs

Confused.com has teamed up with Brake, the road safety charity, to highlight the benefits and dangers of ”Baby on Board’ signs and remind parents about safety for younger passengers.

37% of parents (almost 2 in 5) have displayed a ‘Baby on Board’ sign either currently or in the past. Now it’s time to find out if they are a help or a hazard. Confused.com’s new research among 2,000 drivers (50% of whom have children under 16) found that 80% of the parents who use baby on board signs think they improve safety, while 46% of drivers said that ‘Baby on Board’ signs obscure vision when driving.

Confused.com’s research discovered that clutter is a concern among many drivers, and having too many novelty items displayed could be a safety issue. 51% of all those questioned said they think other drivers display too much clutter in their car windows, such as stickers and novelty items. 15% of drivers who do exhibit these signs admit they do so simply because they are a cute/novelty item while 4% only display one because they received it as a gift.

Brake’s experts have confirmed that window clutter can be an issue on the road, but acknowledge that baby on board signs can also have a safety benefit.

Julie Townsend, Deputy Chief Executive at Brake, said: “Baby on board signs can be incredibly helpful for emergency services at the scene of a crash in knowing whether there’s a child involved, but this help can become a hindrance if drivers display signs when their child isn’t in the vehicle. Worse still is the danger that can be posed by drivers obscuring their view by cluttering up windows with lots of signs. Drivers’ priority should always be getting there safely, without putting themselves, young passengers or other road users a risk. That includes ensuring your view isn’t obscured and you remain fully focused on the road.”

The research also found that drivers who have never displayed a ‘Baby on Board’ sticker or do not drive children around are more likely to think the signs are tacky (34%) or dangerous as they obscure vision (18%).

Meanwhile, 46% of people who drive kids around say they have driven with a ‘Baby on Board’ sign and 22% of these say they always display the sign.

Confused.com’s survey also reveals that 14% of parents with under-16s think ‘Baby on Board’ signs are uncool/not trendy and 33% of drivers think the signs are ‘tacky’. Interestingly, it’s women who are most likely to disapprove of the signs, with 35% of women questioned saying the signs are ‘tacky’ while only 31% of male drivers felt the same.

The research also found that a quarter of parents aged 18-24 (who have young children) always display a ‘Baby on Board’ sign when they drive. This age group is also most likely to display novelty stickers in their car window, compared to drivers of other ages. 18-24 year-old drivers are least likely to say that other drivers display too much clutter in their car windows.

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Confused.com Launches New Online Live Chat Service

Confused.com is encouraging people not to be put off buying life insurance as just over a third of Brits (35%) admit they find it a complicated issue, with the age group 35-44 finding it the most complicated.

To help tackle this issue Confused.com has launched a new online Live Chat service. This new web service allows Confused.com to communicate, chat and engage with visitors to their website and answer any questions they might have regarding life insurance quotes or insurance terms. Some other advantages of live chat include facility to call back and real time assistance with application process.

Life insurance can be seen as a complicated and difficult purchase and worryingly 18% of Brits say they don’t understand why we need life insurance. 35% of the under 24’s agree with this statement, but even more surprisingly 1 out of 10 of the over 55’s also agree.

In fact in the UK 38% of people feel life insurance isn’t necessary, and if it is necessary it is aimed at the age group 41-50, meaning that as a nation we are under-insured and clearly misunderstand what life insurance really is.

However an average life premium costs 74p a day and has many added benefits which include future financial protection, protection from major debts and securing your family’s standard living.

With many people not seeing the necessity of life insurance, these additional benefits may sweeten the offer, allowing policyholders and their families to be covered in the future should the worse happen.

Matt Lloyd, Head of Life Insurance at Confused.com said: “Many people do not understand the need for life insurance and what benefits it actually provides. The main benefit of life insurance is peace of mind – knowing your family will be looked after financially in the future.

“With the introduction of our new Live Chat solution, Confused.com customers can ask our representatives any questions or issues they may have and they will get a real time response. People can make sure they get the right policy that fits their requirements and get help in doing so. Our research has shown that 55% of the UK hasn’t tried to get life insurance via the internet and those that have done so -12%- have found it difficult.

“So Confused.com’s new service will improve the customer’s experience as well as the customer service efficiency though real-life interaction. It will help customers understand clearly what life insurance is and what benefits it can offer the policy holder and their loved ones.”

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Confused.com Reveals That Brits Can’t Live Without Their Yearly Holiday Abroad

Confused.com has announced it is giving away a free family holiday to Florida, for 14 nights with £1000 spending money to support those who simply can’t live with their yearly holiday abroad.

According to research carried out by the leading price comparison site, 45% of Brits say the ideal non-UK destination is within Europe, while almost one in three (30%) say their ideal holidays are outside of Europe.

Confused.com has partnered with Teletext holidays, to offer its customers the chance of winning a dream family holiday (2 adults and 2 children) to Florida, USA for 14 nights with £1000 spending money, just by buying their family travel insurance though Confused.com.

The competition runs until 31 August and if a customer buys their family travel insurance between this time period they will automatically be entered into a free prize draw. The winner will be selected at random after 31 August and will be notified 28 days after. Not only will they get to spend 14 nights in Florida but they will also be given £1000 to spend on whatever they want.

When searching for the ideal get-away, the majority of UK holidaymakers are looking for a seaside break, with 45% of people choosing ‘beach’ compared to just nine per cent wanting an active or sporty holiday. Less than five per cent seek snow for their break, while sightseeing is a priority for almost one in three holiday makers (32%), rising to 45% for people aged 55+.

57% of 18-25s would prefer to spend their holiday at the beach. 25-35 year-olds are most likely to choose an active or sporty holiday, compared to other age groups (14% compared to 9% on average) but the majority of this age group (52%) still prefers the beach, making Florida an ideal destination for these holiday goers.

Worryingly, only just over half (55%) of people always buy travel insurance when they go away, despite 90% of people having holidayed abroad. A surprising 15% always take a risk by not purchasing any insurance even though Illness abroad tops the list of holiday nightmares with 44% of holidaymakers having experienced illness either themselves or among their party while abroad. Family travel insurance can cost as little as £9.75 for a family of four, though it can cost more depending on where you’re travelling to, so Confused.com experts would always urge holidaymakers going abroad to take out cover.

Mhairi Duffin, Head of Travel Insurance at Confused.com said: “While it may not be the most exciting part of arranging your family holiday, travel insurance should always be one of your main priorities if you want to be able to relax and enjoy your time away. Hopefully your holiday will go according to plan, but if anything was to go wrong having the right travel insurance in place can help make sure you’re protected in the event of baggage being lost, your holiday being cancelled or someone in your party falling ill.

“So to say thank you to our customers for buying their family travel insurance through Confused.com we are giving away to one lucky person a fantastic family holiday to Florida with £1000 spending money. Travel insurance is something that will provide peace of mind on any holiday and we hope that the winner will have a fantastic time away.”

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Confused.com Expands Their Credit Card Panel With Fluid

Confused.com has added a new credit card from online personal finance brand Fluid to its credit card panel meaning customers can now apply to a choice of 50 credit cards.

The low-fee balance transfer credit card, powered by MBNA, offers new customers 15 months at 0 per cent interest on balance transfers. Balance transfers must be made within the first 60 days of opening the account and a 1.5 per cent handling fee applies.

The credit card also allows new customers to move credit into their current account. Fluid charges a 4 per cent fee for this money transfer and offers 15 months at 0 per cent interest but after that, charges will apply.

New customers can also benefit from 0 per cent interest on purchases for five months from the date the account is opened.

Will Becker, chief executive of Media Ingenuity, Fluid’s corporate parent, said:
“We have listened to what customers want within the UK market. In conjunction with MBNA, we’ve created a card with an exclusive offer that can yield a substantial saving to consumers. This is a great card for people who are looking to get control of their finances and repay existing balances within the 15-month offer period.”

Confused.com started to display credit cards in 2008 and it enables customers to compare credit cards from across the whole of the UK market.

With the average authorised overdraft rate currently at 12.659% APR, Nerys Lewis, head of credit cards at Confused.com, believes the Fluid credit card’s money transfer option could help people who need to pay off their overdraft.

Lewis says: “This credit card could be a good option for anyone who is paying interest charges on their current overdraft facility, as long as they can pay back their debt within the 15-month period.

“Many university graduates of the last few years could be starting to pay interest on their graduate overdraft accounts, for example, so the Fluid credit card may be a useful option for those who can afford to pay off this debt before the interest-free period is over.

“Meanwhile, the comparatively low balance transfer fee of 1.5 per cent makes the Fluid credit card a strong offering to anyone who is looking to transfer their existing credit card balance, providing they keep on top of payments.

“If you use a balance transfer credit card carefully, it can be a sensible way to manage your finances.”

Customers can apply for the Fluid credit card at www.confused.com/credit-cards

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Confused.com Releases New Facebook App Designed To Celebrate Friendships

Coinciding with the release of a report titled ‘Friendship, Finance and the Future: The rise of Singledom in the UK’, Confused.com has created an app that allows users to celebrate the important friends in their life.

A report by Future Poll for Confused.com has shown that four in five say that friendships last longer than romantic relationships. With friends playing such an important role in our lives the app gives users the opportunity to celebrate the anniversary of their meetings, or ‘Frenniversary’ and show how important their friends are.

The app, called ‘Friend Booth’, has three different functions; a tattoo booth, a cover photo montage creator and a Frenniversary reminder service.

The tattoo booth allows Facebook users to create an image with a virtual tattoo dedicated to their closest friend. The user selects their friend and either takes a photo or chooses an existing one, they then select the style of tattoo they want their friend’s name to appear in. They can resize the tattoo and adjust the angle to make it look as convincing as possible before posting it to their wall.

The photo montage creator allows users to create a montage that’s sized, ready for them to have as their cover photo. The Facebook application asks users to enter the name of their best friend. Photos in which both the user and their best friend are tagged will be displayed, allowing the user to select their favourite pictures which will be automatically added into a bespoke image that the user can set as their profile cover image.

The report claims that in the future relationships status on passports and census forms could include mate-trimony as an option, with next of kin automatically being a friend. With friends playing such a significant role in our lives celebrating Frenniversaries will become more common. The Facebook application helps us remember this date by providing a Frenniversary reminder service. When they sign up their email address and friend’s name they’ll be sent an email reminder to make sure they don’t forget to celebrate the day.

Sharon Flaherty, head of content at Confused.com said: “This application is all about having fun with your friends and showing you appreciate them, but the report raises issues around how insurance companies need to protect long-term friendships as they do marriage. More and more people are relying on their friends, buying houses with them and becoming financially co-dependent. If something were to happen they would be left completely unprotected.

“This report by Future Poll shows that in the future more single people will protect their most important relationships with life insurance, in the short term the app allows users to show the people that matter they care.”

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Confused.com Reveals Life Insurance As The Newest Way To Say I Love You

New findings from Confused.com have revealed that taking out life insurance or breakdown cover for a partner is deemed romantic by some couples. Bucking traditional gender stereotypes, it’s the men who most want to be protected with a gift of breakdown cover but many couple have not had ‘the chat’ and are unaware of where important financial documents are kept in their household.

Confused.com asked people in a relationship to tell them how they would feel if their partner took out a life insurance policy to protect them or purchased breakdown cover on their behalf.

More than half (53%) of people in a relationship tell us it would be ‘thoughtful’ if their partner took out life insurance to protect them: 56% of women versus 50% of men call life insurance a ‘thoughtful’ gift. 8% of people go as far as to call it ‘romantic’ if their partner takes out life insurance in their favour while 9% of men who drive compared to 6% of women think that breakdown cover for their car is a ‘romantic’ gift. 75% of women and 60% of men think breakdown cover is a ‘thoughtful’ gift.

Not everyone agrees, as 10% of people feel that life insurance is ‘morbid’, but a further 8% say it would be ‘well-overdue’ and that their partner should have got around to getting life insurance sooner. Couples tend to be independent when it comes to finances with 47% of men and 39% of women admitting they don’t know where their partner keeps their financial documents and only half of people in relationships saying that their partner knows where they keep details of their own finances.

Matt Lloyd from Confused.com’s Life Insurance team said: “It’s heartening that couples realise life insurance is there to protect your loved ones and that making provision in case you die is actually a very caring thing to do.

“Having private finances is up to individuals and keeping your information safe is important but it is advisable to have ‘that chat’ with your loved ones so that they know which bank or provider to call if the worst happens.”

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Confused.com Reveals Over A Quarter Of UK Motorists Have A Pet Name For Their Car

Confused.com has revealed new research that shows 33% of car owners initiate a daily car-versation with their motors, talking to them not only about day-to-day matters and their frustrations on the road, but also about relationships and personal problems.

The average UK motorist considers their car to be female, with a personality that is sensible (25%), cute (8%) or playful (7%). Findings also confirm that 16% of men see their cars as women, choosing words such as sexy (6%) and mischievous (5%) to describe the personality of their vehicles.

Peter Collett, Psychologist and author of ‘Driving Passion – The Psychology of The Car’ suggests that naming your car can reduce the risk of incidents on the road.

“A majority of car owners feel the need to give their car a distinctive name, usually an affectionate title that expresses how they feel about their car and how they regard it as being different from everyone else’s. The drive to individualise one’s car in this way is very widespread and it also lays the foundation for how people treat their cars. By giving their car a special name, drivers are treating their car as something that deserves to be cared for – a friend, a pet, a companion, sometimes even a lover.”

So, to encourage the nation to care for its cars, Confused.com has developed an online car name generator, which automatically generates a name for the user’s car. Customers simply answer a few questions about their motor such as colour, personality, number of years of ownership to generate a name. User’s will also be able to print out a certificate, which can be kept with vehicle documents or passed on to the next owner.

Gareth Kloet, Head of Car Insurance: at Confused.com said: “Nearly one fifth of motorists who name their cars believe it encourages them to be more careful on the roads. We have nicknames for our friends, partners and even pets so why not our cars. Drivers with an emotional attachment to their vehicles are more likely to take better care of it on and off the road. We’re calling for all motorists to use the car name generator, and start caring for your car.”

Additional findings from the survey also uncovered a variety of unusual pet names for cars including Albie the great, Baldrick, Claris, Elektra, Lemmy, Michaelangelo, Snoop, Talulah, Florence (the machine) Horatio, Fadgehammer and Yannis.

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Confused.com Reveal Drivers Are Only Swayed By Price In The Hunt For The Best Car Insurance Deals

Confused.com’s latest survey has found that consumers use price-comparison sites purely because they help slash insurance bills with the minimum of hassle.

More than half of the survey’s 2,600 respondents said that special offers such as cashback or vouchers had absolutely no bearing on their decision to use a comparison site. A further 40 per cent said the only kind of marketing incentive that would appeal to them was some form of discount on their premiums.

Head of car insurance at Confused.com, Gareth Kloet, said: “When it comes to car insurance, consumers aren’t necessarily loyal, so price is key. That’s why using a price comparison site is so important, it gives drivers the opportunity to compare not only price but a range of features. So you can either opt for the cheapest or the best value for money. With Confused.com, the price you see is the price you pay.”

When it came to choosing an insurer, three-quarters of consumers said the only thing that would cause them to switch providers was a cheaper price. Around 15 per cent said they would move to a new company purely because it was a trusted brand, while just 9 per cent said they would switch if the new insurer offered extras such as free breakdown cover.

Unsurprisingly, price was the number one reason respondents gave for using price-comparison sites – more than 90 per cent cited this as a major factor in using these services, and 40 per cent also said they appreciated the fact the sites saved them so much time in their search for the best value cover.

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