The Safest Places For Home Insurance

Home insurance premiums are determined in part by how safe the area is in which you live. So are you better off in the country or in the city?

You might expect that life in the idyllic countryside is better for your home insurance than city dwelling. However, a new survey by Halifax suggests that this is not necessarily the case with 48 per cent of Brits admitting to feeling unsafe while walking through a deserted country lane at night. Indeed nearly half of residents from inner cities and suburbs believe walking through the city streets is actually safer than on a country lane.

Crime levels are growing in many countryside regions, but it is city dwellers who are more likely to move - 37 per cent admit they would move because of crime compared to just eight per cent of those living in villages.

Clearly, upping sticks and moving home is not an option for many homeowners, but if they live in high crime areas they will face high home insurance premiums as insurers base rates on risk levels.

Consequently property owners should take steps to ensure their home is protected and keep their premiums manageable. One step is to fit secure and robust locks to all doors and windows, but particularly on the ground floor, and ensure they are secured whenever you leave the house. Remember too, not to leave keys visible near a point of access and never to hide a spare key in an obvious spot such as under a plant-pot or doormat.

Gravel driveways can help you hear if someone approaches your property, while security lighting is a good way to keep yourself alert when thieves are nearby. Installing other security devices such as burglar alarms and time-switch lights could even earn you a discount on your policy.