Unlocked Doors Invite Burglars in During Christmas
There is so much for burglars in the run up to Christmas because of all the extra goodies hiding under the tree so why do so many people leave their doors unlocked?
A recent survey by Halifax Insurance found an incredible 30% of people living in rural areas left their front doors on the latch and this was still at 10% in towns and cities.
This practices goes back some 50 years or so when it really was safe to leave your door unlocked so friends and family could easily come into your home and people were more trusting. But with more to steal as presents mount up it’s time to be wary and have some security awareness around you.
Believe it or not burglaries rises massively over the festive periods – by almost 30% and especially in a recession these are only set to increase further. Most people don’t have the luxury of having a burglar alarm fitted (although when most go off they are just left to reset and the police are not so interested) but at least it’s a deterrent to burglars who are just looking for easy pickings perhaps for a drug habit.
The cost of home insurance claims also increases at Christmas by an additional £500 on average due to presents being around in the home. The average cost of a claim for burglary in the UK is estimated to be around £2,680 during the holiday season.
So our advice is to be security aware at all times not only when you have additional valuables in your home. Make sure all windows and doors are properly locked at all times and if you are going away and want your neighbours to check on your home whilst you are not there then provide them with a key so they can check and then make your house secure when they leave.
Most burglaries are not planned per se and are opportunist by people who want quick money. They will know if a home has people within it and they will check through the windows to see if there is anything worth stealing. If they see a Christmas tree with presents underneath it then it will be a quick win for them if your front or back doors are unlocked as they can be in and out of a home within a matter of minutes and carry out with them what they believe will be easy to sell on the open market.
So don’t make it easy for burglars during this year’s holiday season and ensure your home is secure at all times. And of course ensure that you have adequate cover because not all insurance companies cover the additional costs of having presents in your home (as they have just covered the basics that you have mentioned when you took out the policy in the first place). Not everyone has home contents insurance so why not get an online quote today and see just how inexpensive it can be to ensure you will get money back if you lose or have your valuables stolen.
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