In light of recent data analysing home insurance quotes across the UK, Shepton Mallet ranks considerably lower in burglary claims than other parts of Somerset and Bristol.

This comprehensive study by MoneySuperMarket Home Insurance analysed over 7 million insurance quotes to pinpoint areas with the highest and lowest rates of burglary claims since 2020.

Among 2,377 UK postcode areas, Shepton Mallet's BA4 postcode ranks as the 1,454th most likely to put in a home insurance claim for burglary. It suggests that homeowners in the area have a 6.99 claims per 1,000 homes.

This is far below the BA7 postcode, covering Castle Cary, Ansford and other Somerset localities, which ranks 80th with an average of 31.66 claims per 1,000 homes. Homeowners in the BA7 area have a 3.166% chance of experiencing a burglary.

The BA7 area was placed in the top three percent of postcodes most at risk of burglaries in the UK. By contrast, the BA4 postcode is in a much safer zone, providing some peace of mind for Shepton Mallet residents. Nearby postcodes also featured in the report, including areas of Bristol like Bedminster and Bower Ashton and other Somerset towns such as Yeovil and Glastonbury.

David McDermottroe, home insurance expert at MoneySuperMarket, commented on the findings: "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, no one is immune to burglars."

For a national comparison, Birmingham's B94 postcode, covering Olton and Solihull, emerged as the most susceptible area in the UK for burglaries, boasting a high rate of 57.83 claims per 1,000 homes. At the other end of the spectrum, the Cambridgeshire PE15 postcode had the lowest burglary rate, with just 0.28 claims for every thousand homes.