2009 has been a year of relatively mild weather across the UK. And according to a leading home insurance provider, this is the main reason for a dramatic fall in the number of home insurance claims made in the first six months of the year.

According to Sainsbury’s Home Insurance, claims for the first half of the year are down a third from the same time period last year, from 527,000 to 373,000.

 According to a spokesman for the insurer, last year’s dramatic storms and flooding which affected a number of places across the country explained the extremely high figures in 2008.

"Our index shows the huge impact adverse weather conditions can have on the number and value of home insurance claims made. The first quarter of 2008 brought particularly severe conditions, and storm damage in that quarter accounted for 21.8% of all claims made,” said Lucy Hunter from Sainsbury’s.

Another reason for a decline in contents and buildings insurance claims was highlighted by a spokesman for Nationwide who said that the effects of the recession may have led to more people cancelling existing policies and less people signing up for new ones.

Covering the cost

Earlier this year, the Association of British Insurers said that their research had found a worrying trend of people cancelling vital policies in order to save money.

Many people are obviously very concerned about monthly outgoings but cancelling insurance policies could well be a false economy, with costs related to building damage being far more than the monthly cost of the insurance.

"Despite reduced claims, we urge homeowners not to cut back on home insurance cover as it is an essential purchase and will give peace of mind if you are unfortunate enough to have to make a claim. In particular it is important that your contents policy includes enough cover for all of your possessions, especially new or upgraded items" said Andrew Lowe from Direct Line.

A spokesman for Nationwide noted earlier this month that overall insurance costs are actually much lower than they have been previously and this is particularly true when buildings and contents insurance are purchased together rather than separately.

“For some, the cost of a policy at renewal can take preference over the level of service and cover that it provides.

However, this is a decision they could come to regret if they ever need to make a claim,” said Robin Bailey.

According to recent statistics, around 18% of British households do not have contents cover and around 85% of households are underinsured, which can leave the homeowner in a precarious position when the wilder weather of winter comes around again.

 For those who have undervalued their possessions the extra cost not covered by the insurance policy will have to be made up from their own pockets.

Using a price comparison service that will allow you to filter through the best deals on both buildings and contents cover is another way to reduce monthly outgoings if money is particularly tight. Taking advantage of fresh deals offered by insurers out to tempt new customers can often save money especially compared to continually renewing with the same provider.