19 July 2010

Make Festival Season One To Remember For The Right Reasons, Says M&S Car Insurance

• Half of UK adults to attend a summer festival, with 78% of those travelling by car 
• M&S Premier Car Insurance policies include European Union Travel (limited to 90 days) and UK and European breakdown cover, covering the policyholder not just their car

With more than 350 music, literary or food festivals taking place in the UK over the next few months*, a new survey by M&S Car Insurance** has found that over half of UK adults (56%) are planning to attend at least one festival being staged across the UK this summer.

The majority of festival attendees (78%) plan to travel by car – of these, over half (57%) will be driving their own vehicle and a further fifth (21%) will travel in someone else’s car.  Only 52% plan to park their vehicle securely in the designated festival car park.  The remainder plan to leave their vehicle on the roadside, or any space they can find upon arrival.

According to the M&S Car Insurance research, when at the event, more than half (58%) of people polled plan to camp in a tent or sleep in their vehicle over their trip. The remaining two-fifths of respondents (42%) will arrange to stay at a hostel/B&B or at the homes of friends and family.

Only 11% of festival goers plan to seek out secure locker facilities to store their car keys during their stay.  The majority (79%) will carry them on their person throughout the festival and a small proportion (7%) plan to leave their car keys in their tent.

Andrew Ferguson, M&S Head of General Insurance, said: ‘British festival-goers need to make sure this is a summer to remember for the right reasons. Heavy festival traffic can lead to a higher level of accidents and breakdowns.  Once at the event it’s an easy mistake to leave the car unlocked or lose your keys especially if you are carrying them around in a pocket all day.

‘Our research showed that over two-fifths (43%) of people confess to having accidentally left their car unlocked before. Festival-goers should take some simple precautions when they arrive to keep their vehicle safe.’
M&S Car Insurance tips for keeping cars safe at festivals: 

• Before checking you have your festival ticket, check your car insurance is adequate for the trip, whether travelling as the driver or as a passenger. M&S Premier Car Insurance provides RAC breakdown cover that protects you even if you're the passenger in another car
• Plan ahead when it comes to parking, opting for an official car park or secure private facilities where possible
• Ask festival staff about facilities available to leave personal belongings, such as car keys. A secure locker can provide peace of mind. M&S Premier Car Insurance offers Keycare for lost and stolen keys up to £1,000
• Be sure to take all valuable items from the car before leaving it unattended and conceal any personal items rather than leaving on display
• If you have security features in your car – such as an immobiliser or steering lock – use them, especially if you don’t plan to return to your vehicle for a number of days
• In the excitement and commotion of unloading your vehicle at the festival site, remember to double check you’ve locked your car doors and wind up windows all the way
• Consider your breakdown cover – festival sites are renowned for long traffic jams, which in hot weather can lead to cars overheating in the queue. M&S Car Insurance covers you for breakdowns in the UK and in Europe, should you venture to festivals further afield

For more information about M&S Car Insurance or to apply, customers can visit www.marksandspencer.com/carinsurance or telephone 0800 107 1800. All product features are subject to terms and conditions.

Ends

Notes to editors:

* 356 festivals scheduled to take place between July and September 2010 in the UK, as listed by forward planning resource Year Ahead

** Survey carried out by OnePoll for M&S Money on 21 June 2010.  Total sample size was 3000 UK adults. The survey was carried out online. The figures are weighted and are representative of all UK adults (aged 18+)

For further information please call the M&S Money press office:

Simon Coughlin on 020 7992 1574
simon.coughlin@mandsmoney.com

M&S Money (the trading name of Marks & Spencer Financial Services) was founded in 1985 as the financial services division of Marks and Spencer Group plc, making 2010 the company's 25th anniversary.

The company is a top-ten credit card provider and the second-largest travel money retailer in the UK.  M&S Money also offers a range of insurance cover, including home insurance and car insurance, as well as loans, savings and investment products.

In November 2004, Marks & Spencer sold M&S Money to HSBC. HSBC Holdings plc, the parent company of the HSBC Group, is headquartered in London. The Group serves customers worldwide from around 8,500 offices in 86 countries and territories in Europe, the Asia-Pacific region, the Americas, the Middle East and Africa. With assets of US$2,422 billion at 30 June 2009, HSBC is one of the world's largest banking and financial services organisations. HSBC is marketed worldwide as ‘the world's local bank'.

M&S Money has an executive committee comprising an equal number of representatives from HSBC and Marks & Spencer.

M&S Car Insurance is arranged and administered by BISL Ltd using a panel of insurers.