As The Clocks Go Back, Be Warned The Dark Evenings May Tempt Burglars

The clocks go back on Sunday 31 Ocotber and herald longer (colder) evenings which be warned may tempt the opportunistic burglar. Halifax Home Insurance has some good tips on steps to take to help prevent becoming a victim.

Home insurance claims in the winter months were 63% higher than those in the summer according Halifax. What’s more the average cost of a winter burglary was a staggering £2,623.

Martyn Foulds of Halifax Home Insurance says; “Year on year we typically see far more burglaries occurring during the winter.  Burglars will tend to go for the path of least resistance and look for homes that lack even the basic security measures, so a few simple cost effective steps can go a long way to avoiding a break in.”

Their top tips include

• Keep valuable items out of sight away from windows and doors
• Mark property with your postcode using an ultra violet pen
• Keep receipts and photographs of valuable purchases as these can help if you need to make a claim
• Consider installing a safe in your home for small items like credit cards, personal documents, digital cameras and MP3 players
• Have expensive items of jewellery valued every three years by a reputable jeweller
• Fit visible, key operated window and door locks and keep them locked
• Don’t risk leaving keys outside the property as burglars know where to look
• Install an alarm in a prominent position and always set it
• High walls, railings, and trellising on fence tops can be enough to deter thieves as they slow down a quick getaway
• Prickly hedges and thorny bushes around the property can also deter thieves and obscure their view of what’s inside
• Keep bins and ladders out of sight as these can be used to gain access to the property.

Worryingly according to the ABI (Association of British Insurers) some 25% of home do not have any home insurance cover at all.

At an average cost of over £2,500 for a winter burglary, it is well worth considering buying home insurance – to help cover at least the financial loss associated with a burglary.

Burglary is not the only thing either you could well need to claim for in winter, there’s also the issue of burst water pipes which may hit you – make sure you’re covered for that too.

If you have a high value property or a number of high value items you may want to consider buying a high net worth insurance policy.

MoneyHighStreet has partnered with leading insurance broker, W B Baxter Insurance Brokers Ltd, to offer High Net Worth home insurance advice and products via a top quality service.

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Contact Baxters for Free advice on your high net worth home insurance, understand what your requirements and best options are and as appropriate buy your insurance cover.