The poll by uSwitch.com discovered that 18% of British households go without home contents insurance, with nearly half of that number admitting it was because they could not afford the extra cost right now. The people most unlikely to take out home contents insurance are those who rent property, with 30% saying that they did not have any cover. Without home contents insurance consumers are leaving themselves vulnerable to theft or breakages caused by accidents.

Mark Monteiro, insurance expert at uSwitch.com remarked: 'We are fast becoming a nation of contents cover scrappers, as renters and homeowners try to cut back and save money during the current recession. The fact that nearly half of homeowners and renters alike don't feel they can afford home contents insurance at the moment is a worrying sign of the times.'