More Londoners claim theft

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Manchester postcode tops theft but London has ten in top 20

The Chorlton Cum Hardy postcode in Manchester is the UK’s household policy theft claim hotspot, but combined claims in London make it the claims, research from moneysupermarket.com found.

Analysis of 1.1 million home insurance enquiries in 2009 found London held ten of the top 20 postcode districts most likely to have made a claim for theft. This was an increase of 100% 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).

Insurers’ blanket approach

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.”

"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.