If you want cheap home insurance, then steering clear of a burglary black spot when moving home will keep the price down.
One of the key factors in pricing home insurance is the risk of crime.
According to the Home Office British Crime Survey, home burglary offences recorded by the police in England and Wales dropped by 4% in the 12 months to September 2011, compared with the same period in the previous year.
That still added up to more than a 250,000 suffering a break in.
The place with the most home insurance claims for burglary is Leeds LS13 – the neighbourhoods of Bramley, Gamble Hill, Moorside, Rodley and Swinnow, with 34.8 claims per 1,000 enquiries, according to insurance industry figures.
London and West Yorkshire fared particularly poorly, taking nine places in the top 10.
The only other place to feature was Eccles, Manchester.
Insurers warn householders living in an area with high burglary rate will pay an average 20% more than those in a low crime area – and anyone with an expensive home can expect to pay even more.
Insurers look at crime figures for the entire postcode area rather than individual streets or neighbourhoods when pricing policies, so even homes that have not experienced crimes pay more.
Try controlling insurance costs by improving security. Secure locks on outside doors and windows are a must-have. Consider an alarm, particularly one that is monitored. Security lighting, hedges or fences that are difficult to climb and a guard dog are other options.
In themselves these measures won’t slash your premiums, but by making your home less vulnerable to a break-in you will help you avoid making a claim, which would definitely put your costs up.
For great deals on home insurance with a criminal record visit Quoteline Direct
Burglary Black Spots – January 2013
Source: Moneysupermarket.com
| Postcode | District | City |
Number of theft claims per 1000 enquiries |
|
| 1 | LS13 | Bramley, Gamble Hill, Moorside, Rodley, Swinnow | Leeds |
34.8 |
| 2 | BD12 | Low Moor, Oakenshaw, Wyke | Bradford |
34.2 |
| 3 | N12 | North Finchley, Woodside Park | London |
31.9 |
| 4 | M30 | Eccles | Manchester |
31.6 |
| 5 | RM3 | Harold Wood, Harold Hill, Noak Hill in Romford | London |
30.9 |
| 6 | SW12 | Balham, Clapham South, Hyde Farm | London |
30.1 |
| 7 | LS18 | Horsforth | Leeds |
29.7 |
| 8 | UB3 | Hayes, Harlington | London |
29.5 |
| 9 | SE22 | East Dulwich, Peckham Rye, Loughborough Junction, Herne Hill | London |
29.1 |
| 10 | LS28 | Calverley, Farsley, Pudsey, Stanningley. | Leeds |
28.4 |