·         Theft or damage of bikes stored in communal areas exceeds £1 billion

·         Rise in thieves stealing from communal areas inside blocks of flats

·         4,350 bikes stolen from communal spaces in blocks of flats since 2016

New research from Direct Line Home Insurance⁽¹⁾ reveals an increase in bike theft from communal areas in blocks of flats, with criminals avoiding breaking into individual properties, a trend named ‘outside inside’ crime.  Analysis reveals over 4,300 bikes have been stolen from communal areas since 2016, an average of four every day. This type of bike theft is on the rise, having increased by two thirds (66 per cent) between 2016 and 2018. 

Further research conducted by Direct Line reveals that of the 13.6 million people living in flats⁽²⁾, 10.7 million (79 per cent) have some form of communal area in their building like a lobby, underground garage or storage areas that are often used to store large items, such as bikes, either too big to keep in the flat or impractical to keep taking up and down stairs.

These areas are often easily accessed by residents and non-residents and as a result many of those who store large items in these spaces have had them stolen or damaged. Over three million people (six per cent of the population) have had a bike stored in a communal area in their building either damaged or stolen. With the estimated resulting loss or damage costing £337 per bike, this translates into a total of £1.06 billion in damaged or stolen bikes stored in the communal areas of buildings⁽²⁾.

Despite the popularity of using communal areas for storage and the number of people who have experienced problems, many do not have insurance to cover their belongings, with nearly a third (29 per cent) of people who store their bikes in communal spaces not having insurance for it. Given that over half (57 per cent) of communal areas are unsecured, owners may have a nasty surprise if it is stolen and they are not covered. 

Dan Simson, Head of Home Insurance at Direct Line, commented: “It is concerning to see that bike theft is on the rise and that thieves are getting even bolder, going into buildings to steal them. Anyone using a communal area to store an item should not be complacent and assume that just because they are inside, they are safe. Although these areas can be great space savers, we would urge everyone to make sure any belongings are locked up securely and ideally not visible from outside to deter opportunistic thieves.”

It seems many also underestimate the value of the items they own and, as such, risk being underinsured, should they be stolen or damaged. Bike owners living in flats report the current average cost of their bike to be around £276, yet the retail value is closer to £550⁽³⁾, basically double.

Dan Simson continued: “When working out how much items are worth, it is important to think of their current retail value, not their second-hand value or how much they were originally purchased for, otherwise you risk being underinsured. Bikes can be expensive and potentially may need to be individually specified on an insurance policy, so knowing their value is vital. Being a victim of theft is stressful enough without worrying about not having the adequate insurance to replace valuable items.”

Regional findings

On a regional level, London accounts for the greatest proportion of bike thefts from communal areas, with a fifth (20 per cent) of incidents taking place in the capital over the past three years⁽¹⁾. This is followed by the South East (18 per cent), East of England (15 per cent) and South West (nine per cent). At the other end of the scale, the North East and Wales both account for just two per cent of bike theft claims from communal areas in the same period.

Table two: Regional breakdown of bike thefts 

Source: Direct Line Home Insurance 2019

With more than a quarter of the UK adult population living in flats, Direct Line has extended its buildings insurance policies to cover communal areas that customers are responsible for. As contents insurance generally does not cover these areas, it is vital that policyholders ensure that valuable items, such as bicycles, are covered separately under their personal possessions cover, which is an add-on to standard policies or included as part of Direct Line Plus contents policies. ⁽⁴⁾

- ENDS -

Notes to Editors

⁽¹⁾   Analysis of Direct Line Home Insurance claims data between 2016 and 2018

⁽²⁾   Research conducted by Opinium among a nationally representative sample of 2,001 adults between 26^th – 28^th March 20190

⁽³⁾   Average price taken of 100 bikes across 10 UK online stores, collected on 16^th April 2019

⁽⁴⁾   Personal Possessions will cover bikes up to £500 under standard cover and £1,000 on the Direct Line Plus cover. Specifying a bike on the personal possessions cover can increase up to £3,000 across all levels of cover.  Theft of unattended bikes is only covered if the bike is in a locked building or secured with a bike lock to an immovable object.  Accessories are only covered if the bike is lost or damaged at the same time.

For further information please contact:

Chelsey Wheeler
PR manager

Direct Line Group

Tel: 01651 831 715

Email: [email protected]

Samantha Stewart

Citigate Dewe Rogerson

[email protected]

0207 282 2856

 

Direct Line

Started in 1985, Direct Line became the first UK insurance company to use the telephone as its main channel of communication. It provides motor, home, travel and pet insurance cover direct to customers by phone or on-line.

Direct Line general insurance policies are underwritten by U K Insurance Limited, Registered office: The Wharf, Neville Street, Leeds LS1 4AZ. Registered in England and Wales No 1179980. U K Insurance Limited is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority.

Direct Line and UK Insurance limited are both part of Direct Line Insurance Group plc.

Customers can find out more about Direct Line products or get a quote by calling 0345 246 3761 or visiting www.directline.com/home-cover