Good news for Wells residents, as the area is among the lower-risk places for burglary in Somerset, according to a new study by MoneySuperMarket Home Insurance.

Over 7 million home insurance quotes were analysed to identify UK postcodes with the highest and lowest rates of burglary claims since 2020.

The data reveals that the BA5 postcode, which covers Wells, ranks as the 2,178th most likely to file a home insurance claim for burglary out of 2,377 UK postcode areas. With only 2.13 insurance claims per 1,000 homes, the area is well below the national average for burglary claims. This sits in stark contrast to some other areas in Somerset and Bristol, particularly the BA7 postcode, which includes Castle Cary and Ansford, ranking 80th in the UK.

This should provide a sense of relief for homeowners in Wells, who fare considerably better than other areas in Somerset. Nearby postcodes such as the BA4 in Shepton Mallet and BA7 in Castle Cary have higher claims, with 6.99 and 31.66 claims per 1,000 homes respectively.

David McDermottroe, home insurance expert at MoneySuperMarket, provided some context: "While it’s not a surprise to see the list of burglary hotspots dominated by large cities, it is interesting to learn that a large proportion of people in rural areas aren’t protecting their homes with a burglar alarm. Although this type of crime may be less common in those areas, unfortunately, no one is immune to burglars."

Nationwide, the Birmingham postcode of B94 had the highest rate of burglary with 57.83 claims per 1,000 homes, while the Cambridgeshire PE15 postcode had the lowest rate, with just 0.28 claims per 1,000 homes.