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How burglaries affect your home insurance
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Posted On :
Jul-09-2009
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Article Word Count :
573
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It is virtually impossible to make your home completely burglar proof, but there are many things that you can do to reduce the likelihood that you will be targeted.
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It is virtually impossible to make your home completely burglar proof, but there are many things that you can do to reduce the likelihood that you will be targeted. An appropriate home buildings and contents insurance policy will pay you the cost of anything that is stolen or damaged, but some sentimental items may be irreplaceable to you no matter their market value. One of the best ways to ensure that your home is not targeted by thieves is to ensure that yours is not the easiest opportunity on the street.
To make your house as secure as possible, be sure to lock your doors and windows and use your burglar alarm if you have one. Even if you are at home, thieves have been known to let themselves in to unlocked houses and snatch car keys or a handbag without the owners even being aware they had been there, so dont leave valuables by the door where they can be stolen.
Its also worth remembering that if you are out and your bag is stolen with your keys in it, if you have letters with your address in the bag then the thief has access to your house. Avoid carrying your address with your keys, and if you have and your bag is stolen, change your locks as soon as possible.
It is also sensible to change the locks when you first move into a new house because the previous occupiers could have kept copies. Think carefully about who you trust with your keys, the workman or neighbour that you leave them with could easily take copies.
Avoid leaving anything outside your house that a burglar could turn into a house breaking tool. Bricks, ladders, spades and even wheelie bins can be used by house breakers to smash or access windows that you may think are secure. Trees or shrubs that make your house difficult to see from the road may make your house particularly vulnerable to burglars who know they can break in without being seen, so consider whether it is worth sacrificing a little privacy to ensure that your home is not attractive to thieves.
If you fail to use your existing security measures like burglar alarms, your insurance policy may be invalidated and your claim in the event of a burglary could be refused. If the worst does happen, call the police immediately and your insurers as soon as possible.
Your insurance company will need details of all the things that have been stolen, so it is a good idea to make an inventory of your belongings, for example once a year, and to keep receipts for any big purchases. This will help you to make sure that your insurance policy gives you the right amount of cover in the first place, and if you do need to claim it will help the insurance company. Taking photographs of things like clothes, dvds and jewellery can be an easy way of proving what you have and the condition it is in.
Your insurance company will be have experience of dealing with burglaries and can give useful advice on how to make your home as safe as possible. While it is very important to have home insurance in case you are unfortunate enough to be the victim of a burglar, the best course of action is to prevent it in the first place.
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Article Source :
http://www.articleseen.com/Article_How burglaries affect your home insurance _1650.aspx
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Author Resource :
With Kwik Fit Insurance home insurance , your home and your treasured possessions will be well-protected from the unexpected.
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Keywords :
home insurance,
Category :
Finance
:
Insurance
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