Motorists in East Sussex are revealed as the most likely in the UK to claim on their motor insurance for theft from their vehicle, or worse still for their vehicle being stolen, according to data from moneysupermarket.com.

The site also analysed data from ten million insurance quotes made by consumers over the past ten months. It showed over four per cent of motorists in the East Sussex village of Winchelsea have made a claim on their motor insurance for theft in the past five years. Saltburn-by-the-sea in Cleveland, and the village of Godstone in Surrey come in second and third place, both with just over three per cent making a claim in the past five years.

Unsurprisingly, the research reveals urban city centres Manchester, Hackney in London, and Liverpool also make the top 20 for motorists claiming on their insurance for car theft.

Andy Leadbetter, head of insurance at moneysupermarket.com said: "It is quite a shock to see smaller rural villages snatching the top spots in the UK for car theft, whether its theft from the vehicle or of the vehicle itself. I'd expect to see bustling urban hot spots to be topping the list but it seems English villages are not the idyllic locales we may think – at least not when it comes to car theft."

Andy Leadbetter continued: "Whether it's a mobile phone left on display, a Sat Nav, or pricey alloy wheels, having items stolen from a securely locked vehicle is an awful experience. The stress and anxiety involved in having your car stolen is also something vigilant motorists won't want to experience. My advice to motorists is to always be alert when it comes to the security of your vehicle; parking safely for example, in a garage if possible. Improving the security of your vehicle may also be an option – fitting an alarm and using a steering wheel lock are efficient means to safeguard your car. As a final tip it goes without saying not to leave valuables on display to tempt opportunistic thieves.