Home Insurance: Top 10 Tips to Prevent Home Breakins

Reduce the risk of a Home Insurance claim!

Did You Know?

People give burglars a lot of credit for being clever. More often than not though, thieves are able to take advantage of situations that make their jobs effortless.

Home burglars use a very simple, but tried and true, selection process to determine the homes they hit: unoccupied, easy access, good cover and good escape routes. Most home burglars are looking for things that are small, expensive, and easily converted to cash – jewellery, guns, watches, laptop computers, and other small electronic devices are high on the list.

The majority of home and apartment burglaries occur during the daytime when most people are away at work or at school. Burglaries also occur when there are obvious signs that no one is home – at night or during long absences.

The burglar’s first and most lucrative hit is generally the master bedroom where wallets, handbags and jewellery are routinely left lying on a nearby vanity, ensuite or night table. More than 30% of all home burglars gain access through an open door or window!

Burglars dislike alarm systems and particularly dislike dogs. Alarm system window decals and “beware of dog” signs can decrease your chances of being burglarized by up to 75%!

Preventing Break-ins

A home invasion can be one of the most unsettling things a person can experience. One of the best ways to prevent theft is good old-fashioned information, so we’ve compiled a Top 10 list of steps you can take to prevent home breakins.

1. Lock Up! Whether you are going on a holiday, a trip to the supermarket, or simply out to your backyard – lock your doors. Use a good lock – one that can’t be opened without a key, not even from the inside.

2. Keep your valuables out of sight. There’s no sense advertising what you have that might be worth stealing – keep your valuables out of sight.

3. Leave a radio on. Nothing is quite as effective as leaving the impression that your home is occupied. Tuning into a talk show is a good idea. Place the radio at a front window, with the volume turned low.

4. Get to know your neighbors. Trusted neighbors can be invaluable, keeping an eye out for strangers while you are away for short or long periods of time. Before leaving on a trip, leave the keys with a neighbor who can turn your lights and radio on and off, open and close your curtains, water your plants, bring in the paper, mow your lawn, shovel the snow, move your car or park their car in your driveway.

5. Open the curtains and blinds in the morning and draw them closed in the evening.

6. Install a home security system.

7. Install sensor lights that reveal an intruder’s presence outside of your dwelling.

8. Keep the shrubbery trimmed near your doors and windows so that they are visible from the street.

9. Purchase a few timers.

10. Have lights turned on when you are away at night. Have lights turn on in more than one room.

Robbery is a crime of opportunity – don’t give a thief an open invitation.

Ava