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 home insurance should provide cover for the cost of repairing or replacing items damaged or stolen if someone breaks in to your property and steals stuff

• Home insurance is usually made up of two parts: your buildings cover and your contents cover

• Your contents insurance policy will cover you for the cost of replacing belongings that were stolen. It can cover high-value items like your mobile phone, TV, or laptop up to a certain amount, as well as things like clothes, furniture, and important documents such as your passport

• Your buildings insurance policy should cover damage caused to your windows and doors as a result of the break-in, as well as any fencing, outer gates, or outbuildings, though you may need extra cover for this

• Note that the contents of outbuildings, like your shed or garage, may be covered by your home insurance. Just note that limits often apply, and high-value items may require separate cover. Find out more here

📣 Did you know? MoneySuperMarket data shows 12.28%^{^} 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:

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

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 - negligence is likely to invalidate your claim.

Do I need unoccupied home insurance?

If you’re away from home for an extended period, usually over 60 days, you’ll need to take 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.

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.

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.

What to do 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:

• 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 then ask for when you make a claim

• Take photos and videos of the damage and make notes of everything that is missing. It’s also sensible to find proof of purchase or ownership for any of the items that were stolen

• You will need to contact your insurance provider within 24 hours of discovering the break-in to make a claim

How to reduce the likelihood of being burgled

Here are some steps you can take to lower the risk of your home being burgled:

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.

Esther Shaw
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. time. 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.