Some 4.7 million UK adults do not have any home contents insurance, research from Sainsbury’s Home Insurance has revealed.

Those living in London are most at risk from not having contents cover, with 22% of the adult population in the capital opting to do without this. Worryingly, a further 5% of those in London were unsure whether or not their home contents were insured, meaning they too may not be protected.

Those in Yorkshire and Humberside are the best equipped for damage or theft to their belongings because 96% of people there have a home contents policy.

Neil Laird, manager of Sainsbury’s Home Insurance, said: “It’s remarkable given the value of people’s home contents that so many do not have cover. Home insurance does not have to be expensive. You can spread the cost over the course of a year and some insurers, including ourselves, will not charge for this. There are also some great discounts on cover available at the moment.”

The Sainsbury’s Finance research revealed that the main reason for not having home contents cover was people thinking it was not necessary, with 35% of people without it giving this response. As many as 14% of people said they could not afford it.