The Met Office has forecast snow and gales in the UK for the Easter bank holiday weekend, which could explain why as many as four million Britons are planning on travelling abroad. Consequently, millions of homes will be left unattended over the Easter period, putting their contents at risk of theft.

In addition to the threat posed by theft, there is also the possibility of damage to home contents cause by the weather. Over the last couple of years, the UK has seen an increase in natural disasters, such as the floods last summer, these events have proved disastrous for several home owners, particularly those without home contents insurance.

These latest weather warnings should set alarm bells ringing for the reported one in four Britons without home contents insurance.

Floods caused by gales can cause considerable damage to home contents, particularly if no one is there to take precautions such as moving items to higher levels.

With an increase in the number of Britons leaving their properties at risk of damage or theft over the Easter holidays, Debra Williams, managing director, Confused.com, warns: “Contents insurance is not a legal requirement, but should really be considered an absolute necessity.

“Many people decide against contents cover without considering the potential pit- falls involved.”

Even the most obvious precautions, such as remembering not to ‘advertise’ your new plasma screen TV by leaving the box outside your front door, or remembering to properly lock up when leaving the home, can sometimes fall by the wayside. It is for this reason that belongings need to be adequately covered.

“By failing to insure their home contents, Britons are potentially setting themselves up for a large bill, not to mention emotional turmoil, should they be unfortunate enough to suffer any loss or damage.”

© Fair Investment Company Ltd