Taking out a Cheap Home Insurance policy will give you peace of mind if you are burgled, it wont, however, take away the horrible feeling of violation. Lowering the chance of being burgled in the first place is at least going some way in helping to cut the emotional and financial cost.
Most burglars will not want to risk personal harm when burgling ansd will generaly go for the softest target. You can reduce the cost of your home insurance if you take preventative action.
They will often attack the homes that are, in their minds 'asking to be burgled'. Out of every ten burglaries two will have entered through an open window or door with no force required at all! A third of all burglars will have entered the home via a back window.
Questions you should ask to see if you have adequately secured your home
- Could you climb up the drain pipe to the window that is left open most days? as most burglars are extremely adept at squeezing in through the smallest of windows including skylights and bathroom fanlights.
- Would you be able to force the lock on your back door?
- Do the windows all have locks with keys visible on the outside? Casement locks are impossible to open without the relevant key - keep the keys in a safe place easily accessible incase of fire.
- Are your louvre doors as sturdy as they can be? If you are in a particularly unsafe area or feel you have one window that is very suspect, consider fitting security grilles.
- You can improve your home security and lower the cost of your home insurance cover by adding exterior lights operated by an infra-red sensor alert you when there is any movement around an area you feel is vulnerable to intruders.
- As most homes are burgled when empty it is a good idea to use time switches to turn on lights and other appliances such as TV's and radios at specific times during the day give the impression of someone at home.
What can you do to safeguard your property in the garden?
- If you store items worth stealing in a garage or shed, you may need to check your household contents policy covers you for any theft.
- Bikes often have to be included separately.
- Make sure you add padlocks to any doors and chain items such as lawn mowers to a post or pillar where possible.
- Padlock any ladders kept outside horizontally to a sturdy wall bracket if you don't have a shed or garage.
- Check that your fences are not falling apart and they are not easily pulled over.
- Make sure you are not helping your local thief by leaving bits of furniture around to help them enter upstairs windows.
- Mark your property with your post code with an ultra violet marking pen to aid identification.
