Beware of tent thieves out to spoil your festival fun

With festival season just around the corner, comparison site, moneysupermarket.com, urges all Brits to ensure their possessions are covered while away from the home this summer.

Insuring your possessions

Whether it's the Isle of Wight Festival in mid-June, or Glastonbury at the end of the month, hundreds of thousands of summer festival revellers have happily forked out for tickets to see their favourite acts perform, but theft, loss or damage to possessions will be the last things on people's minds. Research from moneysupermarket.com found insurance cover for personal possessions whilst away from the home can be tagged on to home contents insurance for a small additional cost. With Budget Insurance for example, standalone home contents insurance will cost £66, but for an extra £13 Brits can have the peace of mind of knowing their personal possessions and camping equipment are covered. However, checking the small print of your policy is crucial as some insurers will not cover camping equipment.

Julie Owens, head of home insurance at moneysupermarket.com said: "Festivals are the height of the summer fun for many Brits, but unfortunately they also present a prime opportunity for thieves. Tents can be left unguarded for hours at a time, so while it's essential not to leave valuables lying around, it is also important to check your insurance will cover you if necessary. Despite reports of crime falling at Glastonbury last year, it is always worth being safe rather than sorry. If you are unfortunate enough to be a victim of theft, many home contents policies will cover you for items such as your iphone or ipod if you are away from home for very little cost. My advice is this is money well spent - a small price to pay for peace of mind to enjoy your time away.

"For those combining a festival experience with a summer holiday, at the Benicassim in Spain this July for example, Brits should also think about travel insurance. This doesn't need to be a costly addition for travellers, cover for a couple for a week in Spain is available from providers like Elect Travel Insurance and IgniteInsurance for under £10. As always, checking the small print of a policy is crucial to ensure it is right for you."

Motor breakdown

Motorists getting behind the wheel to reach their chosen festival this year could also benefit from having motor breakdown cover in place. In the unfortunate event that your car does break down while on the road, having the right cover in place could ensure you don't miss out on all the fun. UK breakdown cover is available from under £30 with The Green Insurance Company which also includes caravan cover.

Julie Owens continued: "Motor breakdown cover can prove an essential add on for any motorist - the last thing you need when you are off to enjoy a weekend of fun is to be stuck at the side of the road. As with all insurance policies, I would advise motorists and festival goers alike to check their insurance policies carefully so they know exactly what they are and aren't covered for."

moneysupermarket.com's top tips for festival fun:

Don't take expensive clothing or jewellery with you - you won't need them - especially as insurer ‘single article' limits (the maximum amount the insurer will pay out on any single item you are claiming for) are usually around £1,000 or £1,500. Consider taking a disposable camera, to cut down on risk of damage, loss or theft.

Report lost or stolen money to the Police within 24 hours - a condition in some policies which otherwise will not pay out.

Keep your most valuable possessions with you at all times, and stick together in groups - you are less likely to be a target of mugging or theft. But don't keep all your money in one pocket.

Avoid sliding in the mud or swimming in the large pools of water, due to risk of e-coli infection, as seen in the mini outbreak at the Glastonbury Festival of 1997, or even dysentery.

Don't make your pitch at the bottom of a hill, since rainwater (and much worse) could end up streaming its way into your tent.

Look at whether your credit card offers you any form of protection for accommodation or travel cancellation.