Top 20 hotspots for home theft insurance claims revealed

The site analysed over 1.1 million home insurance enquiries made on the site in 2009 and found London held 10 of the top 20 postcode districts most likely to have made a claim for theft, an increase of 100 per cent on the previous year. Close behind are Manchester, Leeds and Bristol, each of which have two postcode districts in the top 20. The research revealed Chorlton-Cum-Hardy, the suburban area of the city of Manchester (M21) takes the top spot overall in the UK, while Blackheath (SE3) and Hammersmith (W6) are the most ‘at-risk' postcode districts in London for theft-related insurance claims. Other postcode districts with a high chance of claiming for theft and burglary include Finsbury Park in London (N4) as well as the affluent suburb of Roundhay in Leeds (LS8).
Julie Owens, head of home insurance at moneysupermarket.com said: "Home is where the heart is and there's no denying that having it burgled is an emotional and frightening experience. Major cities, like London and Manchester, and affluent areas are a target for criminals and the research highlights a broad mix of areas across the north and south of the UK so it is clear that no matter where you live, there is always a risk your home could become a victim of theft and it is therefore vital you have adequate home insurance cover in place, something many people still do not do.
"Properties classified as being in a ‘high-risk' area – whether that be for crime, or something like flooding or subsidence for example, could affect the price of your insurance premiums. Unfortunately there is no escaping this and to make matters more complicated, there are no hard and fast rules which apply. Most insurers have a blanket approach when it comes to assessing postcode districts for home insurance premiums. This really needs to change; if houses are evaluated on a case by case basis it would mean homeowners received quotes at the best possible prices for their individual circumstances.
"With recent statistics reporting that last summer insurers handled almost 80,000 domestic burglary claims paying out £84 million,** homeowners need to be extra vigilant when it comes to security. You never know when an opportunistic thief may strike, so it's crucial you ensure home contents insurance is fully up to date, and is at a high enough level to cover all belongings sufficiently."