Confused.com reveals homeowners' most expensive possessions are not the most valuable to them

Confused.com has revealed homeowners' most financially valuable possessions are not the ones which are the most precious to them. Computers and jewellery top the list of the most expensive items owned, but 74% of homeowners tell us that sentimental items such as photos, letters and drawings their child has done are more precious than their most costly items.

In a survey of 2,000 homeowners, Confused.com discovered that nearly three quarters said that the most financially valuable item they own is not the most precious item they possess, with photos being considered the most precious or sentimental items owned by UK homeowners.

Men differ from women with more men (29%) than women (23%) saying that the most financially valuable items they own are also the most precious to them, while women (47% compared to 34% of men) feel that photos are the most precious/sentimental items they own. The second most popular sentimental item for women is jewellery while the second most popular items for men are letters.

Older people (over 55s) are more likely to say that items inherited from a relative are among their most precious items but photos and letters are consistently precious across all age groups.

When it comes to insuring possessions, Londoners are most likely to take the gamble and fail to take out a home contents insurance policy: only 64% of Londoners who own their home tell us they actually have home insurance, compared to a national average of 80%. When it comes to 18-24 year-old homeowners, 16% of these do not even know if they have home contents insurance or not. 30% of 18-24 year-old homeowners say they don’t have a policy.

Despite such a large proportion of homeowners telling us that they do not bother with home insurance, 20% admit that they have been burgled in the past. Jewellery is the top item stolen by burglars, followed by items of sentimental value.

Gareth Kloet, Head of Car Insurance at Confused.com said: "Home insurance and a good awareness of home security can help to keep property safe. Sadly burglary is a fact of life that one in five of homeowners who we surveyed had already experienced. While insurance cannot replace items such as photos, it is possible to name precious items (that have a value of more than £1,000) on your home insurance policy. This helps ensure that possessions such as jewellery or antiques or expensive technology can be replaced or compensated for in the event of a burglary."

For more possessions research, Confused.com's unique infographic can be found here: www.confused.com/news-views/infographics/what-items-people-v....