Confused.com: British Crime Survey's burglary stats

Simon Lamble, product director at Confused.com - the UK's leading insurance price comparison service - comments on the British Crime Survey's (BCS) burglary findings: "Although it is good news that there have been no real rise in the level of UK burglaries between 2006/2007 and 2007/2008, it is important not to rest on our laurels, as 729,000 burglaries are still taking place annually.

"The fact that homes with no security measures are ten times (25%) more likely to be burgled than homes with simple security measures (2%), such as deadlocks, should be taken on-board by those who are leaving themselves vulnerable to theft and criminal damage. Confused.com would advise that robust security and preventative measures are taken at all times - advice which is clearly not being heeded, as almost one third (31%) of homeowners still do not have burglar alarms fitted to their homes.

"Despite the fact that 2.4% of households still experience once or more burglaries every year, home contents insurance is not a legal requirement. However, it should be considered an absolute necessity, as by failing to insure their home contents Britons are potentially setting themselves up for a large bill, not to mention emotional turmoil, should they be unfortunate enough to suffer any loss or damage.

"Shopping around for home insurance using a price comparison site could help consumers to make significant savings, never mind the peace of mind that the cover will bring. In fact, Confused.com found that the average home insurance saving, per customer using the site, was £193.81."