How to beat the burglars
Summer is the busiest time for home insurers' claims departments as open doors and windows, coupled with holidaymakers' empty houses, result in higher burglary rates. The Association of British Insurers says its members handled an average of 1,250 burglary claims a day last summer, at a total cost of £84 million. So what can you do to avoid joining these statistics? Some advice is obvious - such as close windows when you leave your property unattended.
But it is worth also considering what makes a home attractive to a burglar, and taking cost-effective steps to ensure your property is not an easy target.
As well as reducing the risk of being robbed, better security can mean lower home insurance premiums.
The view from the other side
Insurer More Than recently surveyed 50 reformed burglars to find out what made certain homes easier to steal from than others.
The ex-criminals said they often collected information about a homeowner's daily routine to ensure they would be away before attempting a break-in.
Incredibly, one of the most common ways to gain entry was using a spare set of keys the homeowner had left under a plant or welcome mat: clearly not a good idea, but also one which could render your home insurance worthless if your provider decided you hadn't taken reasonable precautions to secure your property.
Increase your privacy
A sign of the times in More Than's survey was the increased use of data gleaned by burglars from social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter.
Information on such sites can often be easily accessed - so posting a simple message such as "This time next week, I'll be on the beach!" may increase the chances of you being targeted, especially given there is likely to be more information online that could help criminals work out where you live.
The best bet is to increase you privacy settings, and keep quiet about when you'll be away if possible.
Pay less for insurance
Research from analyst Defaqto shows the chance of getting a lower home insurance quote increases if you have certain security measures in place.
The firm says around two-thirds of policies give discounts if you have alarms or approved door and window locks fitted, while four in 10 insurers will cut premiums for members of Neighbourhood Watch schemes.
Check when you apply for home insurance what discounts insurers give, but most will recognise British Standard deadlocks on external doors, as well as key-operated window locks.
Top tips from the police
Burglars say that the most effective deterrents to their activities were CCTV and alarm systems. But there are less expensive ways to help ensure you don't get broken into.
The police offer the following advice for reducing the risk of burglary:
* Make sure your home looks occupied if you are on holiday. Don't let post pile up where it can be seen and, if you can, ask a friend or neighbour to make regular visits to open and close curtains, for example. Consider putting lights on a timer to come on in the evening.
* Don't give potential burglars extra temptation: keep valuables away from windows if possible, and don't leave packaging for expensive electrical goods sitting outside your home days before rubbish collection.
* If you can't afford an alarm system, a dummy alarm box on the front of your house could deter thieves.
* Minimise the opportunity for burglars to work undetected: cut back overgrown hedges or shrubbery if they block the view of your windows or doors from the street, and install night lighting.
* Don't leave items such as ladders or garden tools within easy reach - they could be used to break into your home.
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