Important note: The information in this section is intended for use by journalists only and customers should not use it to make financial decisions. Please remember that information in past press releases may no longer be current

Whether it is clumsiness or genuine bad luck is difficult to say, but new figures out today show that men are much more likely to suffer a broken bone than women.

The figures from insurer Friends Life show that last year only 13% of claims for broken bones came from women with the remaining 87% from men.

The cause of the majority of broken bones were sports and hobbies, with factures from bike-related incidents (both pedal and motor powered) the most common. However, the second most common cause was "slipping or falling".

Chris Pollard, Head of Underwriting, Claims & Customer Services at Friends Life, said:

"It's difficult to explain exactly why men seem so much more accident prone than women. As the majority of claims were sport-related injuries it might be to do with men's tendency to show off - a trait many men are all too familiar with. Or in reality it could be that women are just a lot more careful and a lot more sensible than men and don't put themselves in the position where something might break."

Overall, Friends Life paid out £550,800 for fractures in 2014, more than double the amount from the year before. The youngest claimant was 19 with the oldest being 71.

Fracture Cover is an optional extra available with any Friends Life Protect+ policy.

-ENDS-

For more information please contact:

Ben Moss, PR Consultant ben.moss@friendslife.co.uk Tel: 0117 928 5843 M: 07827 832395

Ref: N0232

Notes to Editors

Friends Life provides pensions, investments and insurance for over five million customers. Our key business lines are corporate benefits, protection and retirement income.

Friends Life is the brand name of Friends Life Group Limited.

Our heritage dates back to 1810, with Friends Provident being founded in 1832 to help alleviate the hardship of Quaker families facing misfortune.

Other brands in the Friends Life group include:

  • Friends Provident International, which provides life assurance, pensions and investment products to Asia, Middle East, Europe, UK and other selected markets.
  • fpb AG, a wholly owned distribution partner in Germany.
  • Sesame Bankhall Group, which was formed in 2009, combining an IFA network, support service provider and mortgage club, to create a large distributor of professional support services to financial advisers.

Important

This news service is for information purposes only and does not provide any form of advice, recommendation or financial promotion. Any opinions expressed by third parties are those of the third party concerned and not of Friends Life Group Limited. Friends Life Group Limited does not accept liability for any errors or omissions or for loss incurred because of reliance on information or opinions given.

The content of the news items set out above are accurate only as of the date of issue and Friends Life Group Limited does not undertake any obligation to update them.

Useful links:

www.friendslifegroup.com/media-centre.aspx
www.flickr.com/photos/friendsimages
www.twitter.com/FriendsLifeTalk.

To follow Friends Life twitter page on your mobile, simply text "follow FriendsLifeTalk" to 86444 (UK only)

Friends Life is a business name of certain companies in the Friends Life group including the following

Friends Life and Pensions Limited Company number 475201
Friends Life Limited Company number 4096141
Friends Life FPLMA Limited Company number 00004599

Each of the above companies is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority

Friends Life Marketing Limited Company number 5059179
Friends Life Investment Solutions Limited Company number 6389025
Friends Life Services Limited Company number 3424940

Each of the above companies is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.

Friends Life Management Services Limited Company number 983330 is an appointed representative of Friends Life Services Limited, Friends Life and Pensions Limited and Friends Life Limited.

Friends Life The Blue Line Limited Company number 3146254 is an appointed representative of Friends Life Marketing Limited.

Suntrust Limited Company number 1460956 is not authorised or regulated by either the Prudential Regulation Authority or the Financial Conduct Authority.

Each company is an incorporated company limited by shares and registered in England and Wales with a registered office at Pixham End, Dorking, Surrey RH4 1QA

Telephone calls may be recorded. Friends Life is a registered trade mark of the Friends Life group www.friendslifegroup.com.

distributed by