Select premier insurance reveals the UK's holiday home hotspots: cornwall, gwynedd and norfolk top the list

• 165,000 people in England and Wales have holiday homes
• Cornwall is the holiday home hotspot boasting over 10,000 holiday properties
• Estate agents from holiday home hotspots give their advice on where to invest
   

New analysis1 from Direct Line’s SELECT Premier Insurance reveals that 165,000 people in England and Wales have a second property, which they keep as a holiday home.

Cornwall, with its 300 mile coastline, is the nation’s holiday home hotspot, with over 10,000 (6 per cent) holiday properties located in this area. Gwynedd, home to Snowdonia National Park and North Norfolk with its sandy beaches and salt marshes, complete the top three.

Table one: Top 10 holiday home hotspots 

Source: SELECT Premiere Insurance from Direct Line

Direct Line interviewed local estate agents about the holiday home market in these areas to get their recommendations on where to buy and find out how competitive the local property market is at present. The image below outlines the results.

Across England and Wales there are almost 1.6 million people who have a second property in a different area to where they live permanently. Around a tenth (11 per cent) of these are used as holiday homes with the remainder being used for purposes such as work, or accommodation for student children.

Nick Brabham, head of SELECT Premier Insurance, says: “Holiday homes are very valuable to owners as they are often a place to relax and spend quality time with loved ones. This time is often limited, which means it is essential to keep the property and its contents in top condition all year round.

“Comprehensive insurance on a holiday home is vital but not something people want to spend time organising, after all most of us go on holiday to get a break from work and general life administration. At SELECT, we can insure a customer’s UK holiday home in addition to their main residence, which gives them peace of mind for both properties in one consolidated policy.”

Peter Olivey, Resident Partner at Cole, Rayment & White Estate Agents, Padstow, commented: “Cornwall ticks a number of important boxes for second home owners with its coastal location and abundance of activities. It’s a true holiday haven without the hassle or cost of going abroad. The local property market here is competitive but with a number of new developments springing up and mortgage rates much lower than they have been, there’s still plenty of opportunity for prospective buyers.” 

     ENDS

Notes to editors

1 Data taken from the 2011 Census: Number of People with Second Addresses in Local Authorities in England and Wales, March 2011.  Second address relates to a property used for 30 days or more each year for holiday purposes. 

For further information please contact:

Claire Foster 
Direct Line
020 8285 8682 
07900 217 264 
claire.foster@directlinegroup.co.uk 

Amrit Nijjer
Citigate Dewe Rogerson
0207 282 2803
Amrit.nijjer@citigatedr.co.uk 


About SELECT Premier Insurance

Direct Line offers SELECT Premier Insurance to cover homes, cars and valuables of high worth, as well as breakdown cover, pet and travel insurance, all covered under just one policy. When taking out SELECT Premier Insurance, Direct Line will even pay your cancellation charges from your previous policy, making it even easier and affordable to have all your policies under one roof, with one payment plan and one renewal date.
At SELECT Premier Insurance we help you stay in control by offering you a truly personal service. To begin with, one of our accredited insurance advisors will carry out a complimentary individual telephone review with you. Then they’ll give you tailored advice, based on your unique needs, for example, specialist cover for valuables such as fine art and jewellery (without needing to list individual items worth less than £10,000) or for your property portfolio, to ensure you get exactly the right level of cover.
To find out more about what Direct Line SELECT Premier can offer, go to www.directline.com/select or go straight through to an expert, not a machine, on 0800 206 2849

About Direct Line
Started in 1985, Direct Line became the first UK insurance company to use the telephone as its main channel of communication. It provides motor, home, travel and pet insurance cover direct to customers by phone or on-line. 
Direct Line general insurance policies are underwritten by U K Insurance Limited, Registered office: The Wharf, Neville Street, Leeds LS1 4AZ. Registered in England No 1179980. U K Insurance Limited is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority. 
Direct Line and UK Insurance limited are both part of Direct Line Insurance Group plc.
Customers can find out more about Direct Line products or get a quote by calling 0845 246 3761 or visiting www.directline.com