Holidaymakers at risk from burglary

30th August, 2005

Over five per cent of homeowners have returned from holiday to discover that they have been burgled, reveals a new report.

Increasing the chances of becoming a victim of theft, many Brits are flying off without taking adequate security precautions, and some are even failing to take out home insurance cover.

The research by insurance company Zurich emphasises that while many homeowners have security features such as lights and burglar alarms, one in five goes away and forgets to use them.

A further ten per cent have accidentally left a door or window open or unlocked when they have been away.

And one in twenty have forgotten to cancel newspapers or pints of milk, giving robbers the classic signal that no-one is home.

The failure to take out contents insurance can make being burgled an extremely expensive business, as Zurich reports that its average claim for domestic burglary is £1,875.

'It's worth checking your insurance policy to make sure that you have adequate cover for all of your household contents, particularly more expensive items such as jewellery,' advised Zurich spokesperson Maria Donald.

 

• Next Article: Yorkshire buy-to-let market booming
• Previous Article: Uni students should insure belongings
• This Month: News For August 2005