Secure your home before you go away

For most South Africans, December means holiday time as consumers wind down. However, while people tend to be more relaxed during the festive season the reality is that they actually face an increased risk of burglary from their homes at this time of year.

Last year UK supermarket group Sainsbury suggested consumers were more likely to suffer a burglary during the festive season, with its records showing that the number of household insurance claims were 37% higher during the first week of the year compared with a typical week.

The same is true in South Africa with more claims being submitted for smaller items during the festive season than at any other time of the year. This is because many insured homes are left unoccupied, drastically increasing the likelihood of a burglary.

There are certain tell tale signs that a thief can spot to identify whether or not a house is occupied such as curtains not being opened during the day, lights being left on 24/7 and an overflowing post box. These are clear indicators to a would-be thief that there is no activity at the home.

As a result it can be a good idea to ensure that gardens are maintained in your absence through a garden service. It is also sensible to speak to your neighbours to inform them of your plans; very often where there is a strong sense of community and there are also fewer housebreakings.

An effective and pro-active risk management measure when one is going away is to employ a house sitter or a domestic worker to look after the property. Not only can this reduce the chance of a home being burgled but it also provides a measure of reassurance from a maintenance perspective. For example, if a geyser bursts any resultant water damage is minimised.

However, it is important to realise that if you employ someone to look after your home they must also take all the precautions necessary as outlined in your insurance policy, which includes setting the home alarm system if specified by your insurer. If your house sitter goes out for the day and is not able to set the alarm then there is a high risk that any claim will be repudiated as the house was not properly protected.

Understandably, some homeowners may feel reluctant to provide their alarm code to a house sitter or a domestic worker, so another option is to provide a remote control unit that can set the alarm once someone leaves the house. If you can trust someone with your home keys, then you can trust them with an alarm remote control unit.

Before going away, it is also very important to ensure that the alarm system is tested, including the backup battery. If a theft takes place when the alarm was faulty or the back-up battery was flat then the claim will probably be repudiated.

Source Property 24 - 17 Dec 2010

 

 

 

 

You're in good hands with Austen Security as we have 75 years experience in the security business, no other company can say the same in the South African market place. We look forward to becoming your security partner!   Request a Quote *Name: *Surname: *Cell: *Email: *Town: Nearest Town Gauteng - Centurion Gauteng - Johannesburg Gauteng - Pretoria East Gauteng - Pretoria North