Say yes to cheaper van, home and car insurance

The UK's obsession with expensive high-tech equipment has been revealed as part of new research.

HSBC group first direct has revealed that Britons possess 400 million gadgets in the home, worth a total of around £74 billion.

Consumers spend £29 billion on television sets, a figure which may have increased next summer had England qualified for football's European Championships this week.

A further £10 billion is rung up at checkouts and online for home computers and laptops each year, commented the firm.

The large amount of electronics in people's homes may mean that they end up paying more for their home insurance policies, as they should get it all covered.

Chris Pilling, chief executive at the firm, said: "This research indicates just how much the UK population relies on technology."

Among the most-wanted gadgets over the Christmas period are the iPhone and the Nintendo Wii games console - both of which stockists are struggling to meet demand for.

© Adfero Ltd