sign up log in
Want to go ad-free? Find out how, here.

Top tips to avoid becoming a festive season burglary statistic

Personal Finance
Top tips to avoid becoming a festive season burglary statistic

Content supplied by ICNZ

Wrap your presents, check your latches and update your insurance cover – the holiday season is upon us.

During the Christmas holidays, thousands of New Zealanders leave their homes for a well-deserved break but what's worse than returning home to find you've been burgled, is discovering that your contents insurance cover has lapsed or is inadequate to cover your loss. 

According to the Insurance Claims Register (ICR), which represents approximately 85% of claims made to insurers, in January 2014 there were about 2,600 burglary-related insurance claims from private houses and commercial premises.

In the 12 months from July 2013 to Jun 2014 there were over 30,000 burglary-related insurance claims totalling $14.5 million. 

"No-one wants to become a burglary statistic during this holiday season but if it did happen you want to be sure your policy is up to date and that you're adequately covered for any losses," says Insurance Council Chief Executive Tim Grafton.  

"We estimate that one in five Kiwis don’t have insurance to cover for their house contents but we'd strongly recommend everyone consider taking out insurance for any possible loss that may occur through theft or a natural disaster like flooding,” he says. 

“Checking and updating your insurance policies during the festive season should be as instinctive as putting up your Christmas tree,” says Mr Grafton. 

Here are some simple steps the Insurance Council recommends will help with peace of mind over the holiday period: 

  • Ensure your home and contents policy is up to date and that you are adequately insured
     
  • Make a detailed list of your possessions, including serial numbers and model numbers
     
  • Mark all ‘big ticket’ items with a code or name to prove your ownership
     
  • Register your valuable possessions on the Police website www.snap.org.nz – it will make it easier for Police to track down goods and assist with your contents claims
     
  • Ask your neighbours, friends or family to pick-up any newspapers or mail that builds up while you are away from home
     
  • Take photos of special items and jewellery and keep them with a copy of your insurance policy

Review your cover after Christmas to include any valuable items you may receiveIn addition, it’s important to check with your insurer what you are, or are not, covered for under your home and contents policy if: 

  • you are away from your home for a longer period
     
  • friends are staying in your home while you are away
     
  • you are planning to make your home available for a house swap.

We welcome your comments below. If you are not already registered, please register to comment.

Remember we welcome robust, respectful and insightful debate. We don't welcome abusive or defamatory comments and will de-register those repeatedly making such comments. Our current comment policy is here.

3 Comments

Unfortunately this article is motivated by talking their book so, while it contains some useful advice, it is incomplete.

 

  • Don't leave any valuables in the bedroom, that is the first place a burglar will look
  • If you do have them in the bedroom use redirection ie: have a jewelery box on the dresser with all the cheap rubbish, have your good stuff in an envelope tucked between the dresser and wall, or other such place where they won't look.
  • Better still put your heirlooms in the bottom of a bag of flower, or for bigger items a bag of cement
  • Valuables also include your important documents
  • The contents of your freezer are a valuable
  • Understand that dead locks, while not total protection, hinder access into your out but also out of it with your goods
  • A bit late in the season now, but these days video surveillance can be linked to your mobile phone and isn't expensive
  • Take your hard drives out of your computer and take them with you
  • For a more unorthodox approach do what I do, make it look as though someone is home. That can include leaving the publicly visble windows open while other openings are secured, heck they are only going to break one anyway so best they can be observed climbing in one your leave open stategically. Leave some lights on a timer, perhaps the TV and radio also. Leave a car in the driveway and the old trick of leaving some size 12 footwear in the doorway so they think a big guy lives there.
  • 99% of burglaries are committed by opportunists so increase the risks they face (you won't stop the pros). Most of all they don't like being seen.
  • Don't own a house next to a walkway, park, or other feature facilitating unobserved access to your property

Or you could save your holiday for February when the burglars are back at school and the weather is better :-)

 

There might be more from the school of Scarfie, I will give it some more thought

 

Have a good one everyone. Stay happy and most of all stay alive.

Up
0

Another suggestion you missed scarfie... rent your house out while you are away. The house will have someone living in it to deter thieves and you get to earn (that's EARN) more money. 

Up
0

Assuming your insurance allows that of course.

regards

Up
0