A third of private renters have no insurance at all, with only half (54%) saying they have purchased contents insurance, data from AA Insurance shows.

In comparison, just a quarter (27%) of residents in housing association properties do not have any form of cover, with two thirds (64%) having contents insurance.

One reason that a housing association tenant is more likely to have home insurance compared to a private renter may be due to the housing manager recommending in-house contents insurance cover  to their clients.

A clear majority of homeowners, regardless of their mortgage status, have insurance with only one in 100 (1%) not having any form of home insurance.

When looking at the national picture however, almost one in ten homes (9%) do not have any type of home insurance, leaving them vulnerable should their home be burgled, flooded or anything worse happen.

Three in 10 in low income households (29%) say they do not have any home insurance.

Janet Connor, managing director for AA Insurance services, said; “It is worrying that 2.4 million households risk losing it all as they have no home insurance.

“The widely reported high cost of private rent may be a reason why renters are not buying any form of cover. With three in 10 low income households saying they do not have insurance, it is possible they see insurance as a ‘nice to have but cannot afford’ purchase.

“For less than £1 a week, renters can give themselves and their possessions protection and peace of mind regardless of how they got damaged, lost or stolen.

“Rather than have nowhere to turn, we want every household to have some form of insurance cover, as anything can happen.”