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Top 10 burglary insurance claim hotspots revealed
Monday 6 February, 2012
By Martin Fagan
Leeds and London feature most often in the high-risk postcodes.
Homeowners in Leeds and London are the most likely in the UK to make a claim for theft or burglary on their home insurance policy, according to new research.
In the third edition of its Home Insurance Monitor, moneysupermarket.com analysed over three million home insurance quotes run on the website over 12 months. It found Leeds and London both featured heavily in the list of postcode districts most likely to have made a claim for burglary or theft from their home or garden.
The research revealed Stoke Newington in north London (N16), takes the top spot overall in the UK, closely followed by Apperley Bridge, in Bradford (BD10), and West Bromwich (B71), which took second and third place respectively.
LS13 (Bramley, Rodley, and Swinnow) is the most “at-risk” postcode in Leeds for theft-related insurance claims. Close behind Leeds and London is Bradford, which has three postcode districts in the top 20.
“Home is where the heart is, and there’s no denying that a burglary in your home is an emotional and frightening experience,” said Julie Fisher, head of home insurance at moneysupermarket.com.
“However, being in a higher risk area doesn't necessarily mean where you live is bad or rife with crime - many thieves will target more affluent areas purely for the rewards on offer.
To keep your home safe from thieves, the website offers the following tips:
- Keep all items of value away from windows.
- Ensure that you lock all windows and doors before leaving the house.
- Regularly check the state of your locks.
- Don't leave items of high value lying around the house.
- Install a good home security system.
- When you’re away, set your lights on timers to make your home appears occupied.
- Cancel any unnecessary deliveries.
- Don't leave keys in obvious places.
- Install security lighting.
Top 10 postcodes for burglary home insurance claims:
| No. | Postcode | District(s) | City/Region | Claims per 1,000 quotes |
| 1 | N16 | Stoke Newington | London | 33.6 |
| 2 | BD10 | Apperley Bridge | Bradford | 31.7 |
| 3 | B71 | West Bromwich | West Midlands | 31.7 |
| 4 | N22 | Wood Green | London | 30.3 |
| 5 | LS13 | Bramley, Rodley, Swinnow | Leeds | 30.0 |
| 6 | LS15 | Austhorpe, Halton, Whitkirk | Leeds | 28.0 |
| 7 | BD18 | Saltaire, Shipley, Windhill | Bradford | 28.6 |
| 8 | LS7 | Chapel Allerton, Sheepscar | Leeds | 27.4 |
| 9 | DN2 | Intake, Wheatley | Doncaster | 27.3 |
| 10 | SW16 | Streatham | London | 27.2 |
Photo by takomabibelot