• Nearly a quarter (22 per cent) of people have seen possessions lost, damaged or stolen while moving home, equating to a total £5.1 billion
• In the last 12 months alone, the average cost of repairing or replacing items was nearly £700
• The highest proportion of insurance claims relating to items lost or damaged during a move were in the South East

New research from Direct Line Home Insurance¹ reveals almost 21 million items have been lost, damaged or stolen during home moves across the UK – with four million of these coming in the past year alone. Nearly 10.4 million people (22 per cent) reported their possessions did not make it to their new home in the same condition they left in.

This can be extremely costly, with home movers estimating the average value of lost, stolen or damaged items to be just under £500. This means Brits have collectively had to pay out £5.1 billion to replace or repair items after moving home. These costs have proportionately risen even further in the last 12 months, to almost £700 per incident and equating to over £1.3 billion in 2020.

Additional analysis² found that every year more than 600 insurance claims are made for items lost or damaged while moving home. The South East sees the highest number of claims for items lost or damaged while moving and accounts for one in six (17 per cent) of all claims over the past two years. This is ahead of the South West (13 per cent), East of England (12 per cent) and London (11 per cent).

Items of clothing are most commonly lost, stolen or damaged during moving, with some 2.2 million people (21 per cent) having experienced this.  This is closely followed by damage to large furniture items, with one fifth (20 per cent) facing costly furniture repair bills. Problems caused to glassware and crockery and electronics (both 17 per cent) are also relatively common.

Table one: Items most commonly lost, stolen or damaged during home moves

Source: Direct Line Home Insurance 2021

Even without paying for damage or to replace items, physically moving home can be expensive and a cost which many do not consider when budget planning. In fact, a third (34 per cent) of those who have moved, some 16 million people, admit they didn’t factor in moving costs when working out their finances and 5.9 million (12 per cent) had underestimated just how expensive it would be.

The type of service used for moving has a significant impact on the cost. The average amount spent on a professional full-service removal firm, which packs and reassembles furniture as well as moves it, sets people back nearly £1,000, while the costs associated for those hiring a van or lorry and doing it themselves is under £400. Understandably, asking friends and family for help moving (30 per cent) is a more popular option than paying a professional (23 per cent).

Over the last five years, people across the UK have spent £9.4 billion collectively on removal costs, with the average amount paid per removal coming in at just shy of £400. In the last six months alone, more than 2.2 million people have moved home, spending over £1.5 billion. The amount spent on moving seems to have increased significantly over time, with those moving in the last six months paying more than double those who moved over five years ago (£682 vs £293).

Dan Simson, Head of Direct Line Home Insurance, said: “The last 12 months has seen both a housing market freeze and frenzy due to the pandemic and subsequent stamp duty holiday. As people have been rushing to get purchases completed before the deadline, we expect the next few weeks to be very busy for home moving. This research shows that often it’s this last step which can result in unplanned and unpleasant additional costs, so we encourage movers to take care when in transit.

“It’s worth checking your contents policy as Direct Line provides covers for loss of, or damage to contents while they are being moved to another permanent residence. Also remember to take out home insurance for your new property from the day you get your keys and not cancel your policy from your old address until you have completed your move and sale.”

For more information please visit www.directline.com/home-cover

ENDS

Notes to Editors

¹         Research conducted by Opinium among a nationally representative sample of 2,009 adults between 29^th January and 2^nd February

²         Analysis of Direct Line home insurance claims data for 2019-2020. All figures extrapolated to cover the entire UK insurance market

 

For further information please contact:

Chelsey Wheeler
PR manager – Direct Line  

Tel: 01651 832 095

Email: [email protected]

Samantha Stewart

Citigate Dewe Rogerson

Tel: 0207 025 6497

Email: [email protected]

 

Direct Line

Started in 1985, Direct Line became the first UK insurance company to use the telephone as its main channel of communication. It provides motor, home, travel and pet insurance cover direct to customers by phone or on-line.

Direct Line general insurance policies are underwritten by U K Insurance Limited, Registered office: The Wharf, Neville Street, Leeds LS1 4AZ. Registered in England and Wales No 1179980. U K Insurance Limited is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority.

Direct Line and UK Insurance limited are both part of Direct Line Insurance Group plc.

Customers can find out more about Direct Line products or get a quote by calling 0345 246 3761 or visiting www.directline.com/home-cover

is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority.

Direct Line and UK Insurance limited are both part of Direct Line Insurance Group plc.

Customers can find out more about Direct Line products or get a quote by calling 0345 246 3761 or visiting www.directline.com/home-cover