One in three students fall victim to crime at university each year, an insurance provider has revealed.

A quarter of all burglaries, said Saga, is done through an open or insecure window or door within a few weeks of the new term.

Against the above backdrop the insurer said it was offering home content insurance to students so as to make it easier and safer for freshers.

But the offer comes as an add-on for students whose parents have a home insurance policy with the insurer.

The insurance firm’s chief executive, Andrew Goodsell warned that: "For many students, making new friends and socialising will be higher on their agenda than being security conscious...This could make them easy targets for criminals."

At least one in ten over-50s have a child attending a university and this has influenced the decision of Saga to launch its student cover.

The insurer is also providing a Student Survival Guide produced by the police, Home Office and National Union of Students so as to sufficiently educate students on crime reduction.