Tourists should always use the safe provided in hotels to stash their valuables and not flash their cash while out in the streets, a major travel insurer said today, as a new survey showed that thieves had stolen almost £3bn worth of items from British holidaymakers over the last five years.

Over half the value of the items stolen from nearly 7 million Britons could not be claimed back as many travellers had insufficient holiday insurance. Despite 80% of travellers knowing they needed a crime number or report to claim the amount back from their insurance company, one in four did not bother to get one.

According to the survey, almost a third of all thefts happened in the holidaymakers' accommodation, with money the most likely item to have been stolen. Clothes, jewellery and credit cards were also popular items for thieves to filch.

Paul Birkhead of Halifax Travel Insurance said: "Prevention is better than cure - holidaymakers should always use a safe where there is one available and take care not flash their cash or jewellery. Vast amounts of time, money and heartache can be saved by remembering to take simple safety steps."

A quarter of all Brits who were victims of the holiday thefts said the incident had ruined their holidays with one in 10 saying the experience was so disturbing, they would not return to that country.