It may seem an obvious move, but thousands of Britons are paying far over the odds for their home insurance because they have not invested in a few simple home security devices.

Number one on the list which will lower the cost of home insurance is a burglar alarm. A simple burglar alarm will cost next to nothing and could lower the cost of home insurance substantially, as well as decrease the risk of getting burgled.

However, only 50 per cent of the population actually have a burglar alarm installed in their home. And of that 50 per cent, many do not even bother to use it.

Making the simple decision to purchase a burglar alarm could make a huge difference to your policy. Other measures, such as installing window locks and double glazing will also bring down the cost of home insurance.

Other simple measures which will reduce the likelihood of your house being burgled, as well as lower the cost of home insurance include protecting valuables in a safe and leaving valuable items within sight.

The comment by the justice secretary this week that home owners can use force against intruders has led many experts in security to come forward and stress that this is a last resort and that by relying on comprehensive home insurance and safety measures, it should not come to this.

A spokesman for Virgin, Grant Bather, said: “The fear is that softer sentencing for burglars or the announcement by the Justice Secretary will encourage people to take the law into their own hands. The reality is that burglary rates are coming down and that fear of crime is often a bigger risk than crime itself.

"Relying on insurance and simple security measures are the best ways to protect yourself and give peace of mind."