Commuters risk £1,815 worth of personal possessions each day

21st February 2017

Commuters are carrying nearly £1,000,000 worth of personal items on trains into London, according to research from insurance broker Towergate.

The study showed that possessions carried on commuter trains during rush hour, including laptops, smartphones, wallets, jewellery, bags and office clothes, add up to £1,815 per commuter. With the average commuter train carrying 515 passengers into London, the combined value reaches a staggering £934,725.

With 40% of commuters carrying a tablet or laptop on their journey to and from work and 88% carrying a smartphone, the average value of electronic items is £632 per passenger. On top of this, the items we keep in our bags – such as glasses, make-up and perfumes – are worth £327 and accessories such wallets, purses, jewellery, watches, and other clothing add on another £856.

Almost half of commuters have no cover

But 43% of commuters do not have insurance to cover their possessions, a figure that is more alarming given 15% have lost a wallet and 9% have lost a mobile phone during a journey. Others have lost jewellery (11%), umbrellas (17%), gloves (12%) and laptops (7%).

In central London, the value of possessions on rush hour tube journeys is even higher. The Central Line is the ‘richest’, with the value of laptops, phones and other personal items combining to a total of £1.5 million.

Kirsty Wainwright-Noble from Towergate, said: “It is alarming to think about the combined value of items we carry to and from work each day without a moment’s hesitation. But with many of us using various modes of public transport to get to and from work, there is a risk of valuable items being left behind and ending up in a station’s lost property.

“It’s crucial that commuters check they have the right cover in place and if unsure speak to their insurer about what they are covered against outside of the home; otherwise they could find themselves increasing an already costly commute.”