The good news for most UK householders is that according to figures from the British Crime Survey and published by the Home Office, reported burglaries declined by eight per cent over the year ending September 2007.

However, the bad news for those living in Nottingham is that they are most likely to be burgled, according to a separate report issued by UK insurer Endsleigh in which the Midlands city emerged as the ‘number one burglary hotspot in the UK', with incidents recorded at 63 per cent higher than the national average.

The same survey found that Guildford was the place where residents were least likely to suffer from household theft, recorded at a whopping 82 per cent less than the national average, and well ahead of second-placed city Norwich where homes are 55.3 per cent less likely to be burgled.

London and Bristol came second and third in the list of cities most likely to be burgled with figures showing that residents there were just over one and a half times at risk than the national average, but as with all lists, the figures don't tell the full story. In all three of the worst cities for incidence of burglary there are localised hotspots that push up the averages as whole, and there are undoubtedly areas where household theft is nearer the national average. Critics of the Endsleigh report will point out that it is based purely on claims made by their customers and therefore does not present a statistically accurate sample of the UK.

So, the good news for residents of Nottingham is that despite the publication of this list it doesn't necessarily mean that they will pay more in home insurance premiums than they would for comparable properties in other cities.

Insurance companies rely upon sophisticated demographic information as well as personal information from applicants to determine overall risk when an application for cover is received. Post codes are included in that information but within all cities there will be locations that are more likely to be burgled than other areas, and that risk will be reflected in the premium.

Overall however, the trend for reported burglaries over the last twelve years has been firmly downwards across the UK, as confirmed by the latest British Crime Survey figures which show that household theft has declined by 59% between 1995 and 2007.

Despite that welcome drop, burglaries still take place and therefore any householder thinking of foregoing home insurance cover should carefully weigh up the high costs of replacing stolen and broken items against the relatively low premiums paid.

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