UK adults are now as worried about cybercrime as they are their home being burgled, according to Allianz Partners’ latest proprietary consumer research1. Overall, 37% of adults worry about cybercrime (including ID theft, personal data misuse and being unable to access their devices), matching those who worry about their home being burgled. Being without their smartphone, computers, or other devices because they break (40%) is also a bigger worry than being burgled.
Millennials (those born between 1981 and 1996) with children are the most concerned by cybersecurity, with 50% saying that it is a worry for them, compared with 37% of Gen Z (born between 1997 and 2012) and 28% of those aged over 65. Similarly, 55% of millennials worry about their connected devices breaking.
This heightened concern demonstrates the growing need for integrated security solutions that address both physical and digital threats together to provide comprehensive protection.
The sanctuary of the home is increasingly important for Brits: 90% say it’s important to feel safe at home - up from 78% in 2022. Unsurprisingly, this sentiment is particularly strong among those aged 66 and over, with 93% prioritizing feeling secure in their homes. By comparison 78% of those questioned in France, 79% in Italy and 81% in Germany say that its important to feel secure at home.
Commenting on the survey, Genoveva Perez-Lijo, Head of Easy Living & Mobile Device Digital Risk at Allianz Partners said: “In today's rapidly evolving digital age, it’s noteworthy that home security concerns are shifting from traditional threats like home burglaries to cyber threats. The Allianz Risk Barometer 2024 recently revealed that cyber incidents have been identified as the top global risk for businesses for the third consecutive year. Allianz Partners' Customer Lab data echoes those concerns, highlighting the growing recognition of cyber threats as a paramount issue not just for businesses globally but also for individuals. These findings emphasize the critical need for enhanced security measures in both physical and digital domains.”
Other key findings from the Customer Lab survey include:
- Cyberbullying concerns are higher among Family Millennials* (45%) than Family GenX** (30%).
- Women (41%) feel more vulnerable to cybercrimes like identity theft and data misuse than men (34%).
- For people with dependent children, such as Family Millennials (42%) and Family GenX (28%), having a home monitored and controlled by smart devices is a priority. In contrast, this is less important for those without children, with only 30% of Millennials*** with no dependent children and 13% of GenX**** with no dependent children sharing the same view.
ENDS
Notes to the editor
1 A nationally representative survey of 2,045 consumers were polled in the UK between 18th April and 17th May 2024 as well as 2,000 in each of the following countries: France, Italy, Germany, and Australia.
*Family Millennials refers to respondents aged between 26-40 with children.
**Family GenX refers to respondents aged between 41-56 with children.
***Millennials refers to respondents aged between 26-40.
****GenX refers to respondents aged between 41-56.