Reducing The Risk Of Burglary

By Author: Marcus Stalder
Total Articles: 491
Comment this article

As we move into fall, there's still time for one more quick break. It's good to get away for a long weekend before winter comes - except for those of you in the south, of course, where it manages to be summer all year round. So the first rule is not to tell all your friends on Facebook or any of the other social network sites. No posting of photographs showing you enjoying a margarita by the beach. Similarly, stop tweeting your instant reactions to the hotel or the food in the restaurant. It's bad enough you telling the world you have the type of lifestyle that makes it worth a burglar's time breaking into your home. But also telling the burglar you're not home. . . Indeed, any real-time messaging to the world describing what you do, where you shop, what food you enjoy, and so on gives thieves a shopping list of what to steal.

Did you know most burglaries take place during the holiday periods when there are fewer people around in your neighborhood and the thieves know your home is unoccupied. Remarkably, many do not actually have to break anything to enter. It seems we're very forgetful when it comes to locking doors ...
... and securing windows. Some thieves don't actually bother entering the home but force open the garage or shed, taking bicycles and anything else easily moved and saleable. So, if you're going away, what precautions should you take? The first step is to create the impression your home is still occupied. You can buy timers for lights and electrical equipment. Leaving the curtains or blinds slightly open, you can program the television to come on. Ask neighbors to spend time inside your home in the evenings. Then cancel deliveries of the newspaper or anything else that will signal your absence.

Now start thinking defensively. Remove any tools from the garage or shed that might help thieves break into the house. You will earn discounts if you fit dead bolts on the doors and windows. It can also be cost-effective to install an alarm system. Talk to your insurer about how much you can save on the payments. Some people plant bushes with big thorns close to windows to make it more difficult to break in. Hide any credit cards you don't use regularly and think about storing portable valuables in a safe place. If individual items are higher value, have them added to your policy in a separate schedule. More generally, prepare for the worst by having an up-to-date inventory of the contents of your home. That way, if you return home to find loss and damage, you can immediately give the police a list of what's missing plus photographs of anything particularly valuable. This eases the claims process and also gives a reasonable chance of identifying your property should it pass into the hands of a fence.

Aim to submit a comprehensive claim as soon as the police report has been made. You get the best results from a home insurance policy if you're organized. Finally, you might choose not to make a claim if you only lose slightly more than the deductible. It reduces the risk of your home insurance rates increasing on renewal.