A home insurance firm has advised parents whose children will be going back to school this week, to check to see if their school bag contents are covered by home insurance.

It has been revealed that the average value of contents in a school bag is a whopping £400.

According to a study, as well as stationary and school books, over 40% of school children normally include a mobile phone and nearly 20% have a mp3 player in their bag.

As Andrew Lowe, Head of Home Insurance at the company, said: "Parents should keep an eye on what their children take to school, because the cost of replacing anything that gets lost or stolen can be high.

"Personal possessions on a home insurance policy ensures your children’s favourite things are protected, so it’s worth checking your policy."

Lowe pointed out that there are other concerns too. Parents should look at home cover to protect home keys, sports kits and trainers.

"Many children misplace even their favourite things, so it’s inevitable that school basics will get lost as well.

“It’s a good idea to record your child’s name inside their books and clothes, as schools often have piles of lost items but can’t return them if they are unlabelled," he commented.