Will being burgled make my home insurance more expensive?
Key takeaways
Home insurance typically covers the cost of replacing stolen belongings and repairing damage from a break in. This includes high-value items, clothes, furniture, and important documents
However, cover depends on whether your home was properly secured at the time of the burglary. If insurers believe you were negligent, your claim could be rejected
Improving your home security can help lower your premiums, though if you live in an area with higher crime rates, you’re still likely to face higher insurance costs
What is burglary and theft home insurance?
Burglary and theft cover can help pay to repair damage to your home and replace belongings stolen during a break in, depending on your policy's terms and limits.
Home insurance is usually made up of buildings insurance and contents insurance.
Your contents insurance can cover stolen belongings, including high-value items such as mobile phones, TVs and laptops, as well as clothes, furniture and important documents. Single item limits may apply, and some valuables may need to be declared separately.
Your buildings insurance can cover damage caused by a break in, such as damaged doors, windows and locks. Depending on your policy, fencing, gates and outbuildings may also be covered.
Contents kept in sheds and garages may be covered too, but limits often apply. Check your policy if you keep valuable items such as bikes or tools in an outbuilding. Find out more here.
📣 Did you know? MoneySuperMarket data shows 12.63%
^ of home insurance claims are for theft*
How do insurers define burglary, theft and robbery?
It's common for people to use the terms theft, burglary, and robbery interchangeably, but they refer to different crimes with distinct legal definitions:
Robbery
This is a crime that involves force or intimidation to steal something of value. It's a violent crime that instils fear in the victim, such as a shop robbery or a mugging on the street.
Theft
Theft is the act of taking something with the intention of keeping it permanently, without the owner's consent. Examples include shoplifting or pickpocketing.
Burglary
This is defined as the unauthorised entry into a structure, such as a home or business, with the intent to commit theft or another crime.
What can I claim for on my home insurance?
If your home has been burgled, depending on the nature of your policy you should be able to claim for:
Damaged or stolen items up to a certain value, specified as your single item limit
Brand new replacements of equal value, or a pay-out to cover this, if you have new-for-old cover. Otherwise, you’ll have indemnity cover, which takes into account the current value of the item that is being replaced, rather than its value when brand new
Items kept in outbuildings, like your bike or golf clubs, so long as these have been declared on your policy
Damage to your home caused by the break in, such as damaged doors, windows or locks, where this is covered by your buildings insurance
Your policy's excess will normally be deducted from any successful claim, so check how much your compulsory and voluntary excesses are before making a claim.
What about high-value belongings?
Check your policy for any limits on individual items. Expensive jewellery, watches, laptops, bicycles and other high-value belongings may need to be declared separately or have a specific limit.
If an item is worth more than your policy's single-item limit and you haven't declared it, you may not receive enough to replace it.
It's also worth keeping receipts, valuations, photographs and other proof of ownership for expensive belongings. These can help if you need to make a claim.
Will a burglary claim make my home insurance more expensive?
Making a home insurance claim can affect the price you pay in future. When you apply for or renew home insurance, insurers will generally ask about your claims history.
A previous burglary claim can indicate a higher risk of another claim, which may result in higher premiums.
However, there is no fixed amount that your premium will increase by. The impact will depend on factors such as your insurer, the circumstances of the burglary, your claims history, where you live and the type of cover you need.
Even if you don't make a claim, a burglary in your area could potentially affect premiums because insurers consider local crime and claims risk when pricing policies.
You may also lose a no-claims discount if your policy offers one and your burglary claim affects your eligibility.
Should I claim if I've been burgled?
Before making a claim, check your policy excess and estimate the value of what has been stolen or damaged.
For example, if your excess is £250 and you've had £300 worth of belongings stolen, you may only receive £50 if the claim is accepted. However, you should still report the burglary to the police and follow your insurer's requirements, even if you decide not to make a claim.
Don't avoid making a legitimate claim simply because you're worried about future premiums. Check your policy and speak to your insurer if you're unsure whether to claim.
Am I covered if my property is empty?
Your home insurance policy should cover you if your home is burgled while you are away, however you will need to show that you took reasonable steps to secure your home.
For example, all doors and windows must have been locked and any security requirements in your policy must have been followed.
If you failed to take reasonable precautions or breached a condition of your policy, your claim could be rejected or reduced.
This doesn't necessarily mean you need to be at home to be covered. A burglary can happen while you're at work, on holiday or out for the day and your insurance can still provide cover, subject to your policy terms.
Do I need unoccupied home insurance?
If you're away from home for an extended period, usually over 60 days, you'll need to check your policy carefully and may need extra cover to ensure your home and contents are protected.
This is because unoccupied properties are more at risk, so some levels of your cover may be reduced while your home is empty.
The exact period varies between insurers, so don't assume that 60 days applies to every policy. If you're going away for an extended period, tell your insurer and check whether you need additional cover.
What could invalidate a burglary claim?
Having home insurance doesn't automatically mean every burglary will be covered. Your insurer will check the circumstances of the break in and whether you followed the terms of your policy.
Your claim could be affected if:
You left doors or accessible windows unlocked
You didn't use required locks, alarms or other security measures
You failed to tell your insurer about changes to your property that affect your cover
An expensive item wasn't declared or is worth more than your policy's single item limit
Your home had been unoccupied for longer than the period allowed by your policy
The stolen items were kept in an area with a specific lower limit, such as an outbuilding
You don't have the type of cover needed for the loss, such as personal possessions cover for items stolen away from home
Always check your policy wording for the specific exclusions and security requirements that apply to you.
What if I live in a high-crime area?
You can check to see if you live in an area with a high crime rate using the police's compare your area tool.
If you do, you may face higher insurance premiums due to the increased likelihood of claims.
However, the crime rate in your area isn't the only factor insurers consider. Your property's location, type of home, security measures, claims history and the level of cover you choose can all affect your premium.
Are my belongings covered if they’re stolen from my person while I’m out of my home?
If your belongings are stolen from you while you're outside your home, you may be covered by personal possessions insurance (out-of-home cover).
This will usually be part of your contents insurance, either included as standard or available as an optional extra.
For example, personal possessions cover could potentially protect belongings such as your phone, laptop, jewellery or handbag when you're away from home, subject to the policy's terms, limits and exclusions.
Standard contents insurance doesn't necessarily cover theft away from your home, so check your policy before assuming you're protected.
What do I after a burglary?
Finding out you’ve been burgled can be a stressful and traumatic experience, and it’s understandable that you will want time to process this. However, there are steps that you’ll need to take immediately:
Make sure you're safe
If you think the burglar could still be inside your property, don't enter or confront them. Move somewhere safe and contact the police.
If you have returned home and discover signs of a break in, avoid touching or moving anything unnecessarily. This can help preserve evidence for the police.
Contact the police
Contact the police straight away and don't interfere with the scene until they arrive so they can collect evidence.
You will be given a crime reference number, which your insurer will usually ask for when you make a claim.
Get in touch with your insurer as soon as possible
Contact your insurance provider as soon as possible to tell them about the burglary and find out what you need to do next.
Don't assume you always have 24 hours to report a burglary. Check your policy for any specific notification deadline, as this can vary between insurers.
Your insurer may also have an emergency claims service that can help if your home has been left unsecured.
Make emergency repairs and secure your home
If the burglary has damaged a door, window or lock and your home isn't secure, ask your insurer what you should do before arranging repairs.
Your insurer may be able to arrange an emergency repair or tell you which contractors to use.
If you need to arrange emergency work yourself, keep the receipts and take photographs of the damage before it is repaired where possible. Don't carry out permanent repairs before checking with your insurer if this could affect the claim.
Record the damage and everything that's missing
Take photographs and videos of the damage and make notes of everything that is missing or damaged.
It's also sensible to find proof of purchaseor ownership for any of the items that were stolen.
Receipts aren't the only form of evidence you can use. Bank or credit card statements, photographs showing the item in your possession, warranties, manuals, valuations and other records may also help establish ownership and value.
Keep evidence
Don't throw away damaged items or packaging unless your insurer tells you to. Your insurer may need to inspect damaged property as part of the claims process.
Keep copies of photographs, receipts, the police crime reference number and any correspondence with your insurer.
How to reduce the likelihood of being burgled
Here are some steps you can take to lower the risk of your home being burgled:
Make your home secure
Secure outbuildings
Use curtains on garage windows to obscure the view and make sure sheds and garages are properly locked.
Don't leave expensive bikes, tools or other valuables easily visible through windows.
Lock up
Use curtains on garage windows to obscure the view and make sure sheds and garages are properly locked.
Don't leave expensive bikes, tools or other valuables easily visible through windows.
Hide your valuables
The bedroom is an obvious place to store your valuable jewellery, so consider hiding your expensive items in places burglars wouldn't expect.
Look into investing in a safe, particularly for important documents and smaller high-value belongings. If you buy a safe, check whether your insurer has any requirements about the type or installation.
Key safety
Store keys securely and avoid common hiding spots like under doormats.
Don't leave car keys, house keys or other valuables close to doors or windows where they could be easily reached.
Compare home insurance quotes
If you’re looking for quality home and contents insurance, MoneySuperMarket does the hard work for you. We compare home insurance quotes for you to find the best deal for your needs.
Just tell us a little bit about yourself, your property, and the items you want covered, and we’ll put together a list of quotes for you to choose from. Once you’ve decided on your preferred deal, just click through to the provider to finalise your purchase and get the cover you require.
Money expert
Our expert says
Any conversation around theft, robbery or burglary can start to feel like the world is just waiting to take your precious, hard-earned possessions off you. That isn’t true, but we do know that most of these types of crimes are opportunistic. That means anything you can do to keep your items and home secure is worth it every time, even if you’re only going to be gone for a minute or two. The same is true when you are out and about; you need to remain vigilant at all times. Even if you’re only going to be gone for a minute or two. Do that and not only will you reduce the chance of becoming the victim of crime, but if you do, the claims process may be more straightforward.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a burglary affect my home insurance?
A burglary claim can affect your home insurance premiums for several years because insurers may ask about your previous claims when you take out or renew a policy.
The exact period you need to disclose a claim depends on the insurer and the questions you're asked when getting a quote. Always answer questions about your claims history accurately and check the relevant time period requested.
A previous burglary doesn't necessarily mean you'll be unable to find affordable home insurance. Comparing quotes from different insurers can help you find the most suitable cover and price.
Do I have to tell my insurer about a burglary if I don't make a claim?
If you've been burgled, you should contact your insurer as soon as possible and check your policy wording.
Even if you decide not to make a claim, your policy may require you to report an incident or loss. Failing to tell your insurer when required could cause problems with future claims.
If the value of the stolen or damaged items is close to your excess, speak to your insurer before deciding whether to make a claim.
You should also report the burglary to the police and keep the crime reference number, even if you don't claim on your home insurance.
Can I switch home insurance after being burgled?
Yes, you can usually switch home insurance after being burgled, although you will need to tell prospective insurers about your claims history when asked.
A recent burglary or claim could affect the quotes you're offered because insurers use information such as previous claims and the risk associated with your property when calculating premiums.
Don't be tempted to leave out a previous burglary or claim to get a cheaper quote. Providing inaccurate information could affect your cover or a future claim.
It's worth comparing quotes from several insurers and checking that the policy provides enough buildings and contents cover for your needs.
Will my home insurance go up if I've been burgled but don't make a claim?
It may, but there is no fixed increase. Insurers consider a range of factors when calculating premiums, including claims history, local crime rates and the likelihood of future claims.
A burglary in your area could therefore affect premiums even if you weren't the person who made a claim.
If you've personally been burgled but don't make an insurance claim, check what information your insurer or a new insurer asks you to provide when you renew or switch policies.
Can I still get home insurance after being burgled?
Yes. Being burgled doesn't automatically mean you won't be able to get home insurance.
However, a recent burglary or previous claims may affect the price you're offered and some insurers may have different approaches to properties that have previously been burgled.
Taking steps to improve your home's security, such as upgrading locks, installing an alarm or improving external lighting, may help reduce the risk of another burglary. Always tell your insurer about relevant security measures and check whether they need to meet specific requirements.
Author
Mehdi Punjwani
Insurance specialist
Mehdi is a financial writer and editor with over six years of experience in personal finance. He has written for organisations and publications including Equifax, The AA, and USAToday, covering a...
Reviewer
Collette Shackleton
Content Writer
Collette is an experienced Content Writer at MoneySuperMarket, helping people make sense of money and insurance topics without the jargon. She shares her experience as a first-time Mum and top...
