Anyone living in London or the South-East will have seen how property values have crept up over the past few months, particularly at the upper end of the market.

Indeed, if you live in certain parts of central London, you'll be familiar with the almost endless stream of mailings from local estate agents keen to tell you how easily they could sell your property in what they describe as a bullish market.

This regional phenomenon has been brought about, in part, by the continuing profitability of the banking sector and its ability to pay the kind of bonuses many thought were things of the past.

Would your insurance cope?

It's against this background that we advise anyone owning high value property – especially any located in a sought-after area, where demand is affecting values – to make sure their home insurance accurately reflects their property's worth.

Being under-insured is at best imprudent and at worst quite possibily ruinous, should you have to make a claim.

It's a wise home-owner who keeps an eye on these things.

April 19 2011