The summer break is a busy time for the burglars. So it goes without saying that making sure your insurance covers are paid and up to date is a good idea.

If you are leaving your property in the hands of other people to look after (house sitters, adult children etc) then you need to be aware of the potential risks you are taking.

Most contents policies exclude any theft from people who are on the premises with the approval of the the owner. The catch here is that this can mean people invited on the property by your guests or children.

We have seen a number of examples of teenage parties getting out of hand and damage and theft to the property a direct consequence of this.

A number of insurers would regard the party goers as invited guests, irrespective of whether you as the insured had directly invited them or not. As long as they had been invited by the person who had responsibility for the property at the time then you may find that you have no insurance if property goes astray.

Unfortunately this is not a rare event. On the positive side some insurers take a liberal view and have paid claims, however policy conditions could result in a claim being declined.

If you are leaving your house and contents in the hands of others then it may be wise to check with your insurance company and clarify the position before you head off on your break.