Theft insurance & how to protect your home from being burgled
Our homes are our safe spaces. The place that we can relax, enjoy time with loved ones, feel secure when we sleep. If you are burgled, those feelings change. Someone has been walking around your house without your say-so.
Rifling through your drawers, looking at your things, touching your stuff. It can be an unsettling and unnerving experience to be faced with.
Home insurance can help if your property is broken into, including the loss of belongings, getting things safe and secure once again, and the overall financial impact that you are left with.
What is burglary insurance?
If you have buildings and contents insurance, you should be covered if you are the victim of a burglary. A burglary is when someone illegally enters your property because they want to steal something from it.
Having insurance in place will help with the aftermath of the event. Contents insurance will help to cover the replacement of stolen items. What exactly is covered will depend on the policy you have but it can cover the theft of laptops, jewellery and other belongings.
Buildings insurance will assist with any damage to your home that the thief made during the burglary. This could be broken windows, forced doors, damaged locks, and perhaps even broken fence panels.
Different types of burglary/theft insurance
There are different features that can be part of your home insurance theft policy. This means you can tailor your cover for exactly what you need, as there isn't a one-size-fits-all when it comes to theft protection.
Most insurers have a single item limit on your contents insurance, so you need to make sure anything of worth is covered within that amount. Some policies offer new-for-old, meaning you'll get a new item of the same value if yours is stolen.
There are different amounts of cash that your insurance policy will cover. If you keep money at home, you need to make sure this is covered. Often it's only up to £500. If you have more than this in your property you need to think about what to do with it.
A question you might ask is, does homeowners insurance cover theft away from home? These are add-ons that you can build into your policy, ensuring you have the insurance cover you need. Make sure that the policy you are looking at potentially buying covers everything you need it to.
Average cost of cover
You want to make sure you are getting a good price when you are looking at burglary insurance, so it's worth knowing the national average.
Over the last few years the average price has risen from around £115 to £145, however, it has dropped back to just over £140. Keep this average figure in mind when you are looking at prices.
You should always remember that there are many different factors in play when it comes to giving you an insurance cost.
Factors affecting the cost
The factors that affect the cost of your insurance policy include where you live, the type of home you have, and what you actually want cover for. Different postcodes and areas of the country have different crime statistics which can affect the price you pay. The security of your property is also an important factor.
For example, locks on your windows, the type of front door you have, and if you have a security alarm. Even how often people are at home can affect your quoted price.
Common questions insurers will ask for when providing a quote
When working out your insurance policy quote you will be asked a number of questions. This is the same whether you call up to speak to an agent or you fill in your details online. You'll have to give your full name, date of birth, home address, and contact details as standard.
You can have the policy put in an additional person's name, so your partner can be added to the insurance.
You'll also have to select whether you want individual home or contents insurance, or a joint policy for both. Security measures will also be questioned. Enhanced security can help you get a lowered quote.
Homes with no security can often find themselves with higher prices to pay or even no quote at all. The level of cover you want and any adds-ons such as belongings being lost, stolen, or damaged when you are away from home. All of these questions need answers and will build your policy.
How to get the best theft insurance quote
The perfect way to get a policy to cover your theft insurance is to compare everything these insurance providers offer. It's more than just the price. You need to consider excess payments which are linked to the policy you take out, along with customer service. Use Quidco Compare to find the perfect insurance provider and get cashback on top too!
Check your theft insurance coverage
Always check what you are buying before you commit. There can be a lot of jargon in insurance documents that you perhaps don't understand. If you are on a call to the insurance provider, be sure to ask them questions and get them to explain things in simple terms.
By law, there is a 14 day cooling-off period. So if you paid for a new policy and then got a loved one to read through, you can always cancel if you're unhappy.
Joseph Seager from ContentCaboodle.com says
"It's always worth taking the time to look at what you are actually buying when it comes to insurance. You don't want to be facing the aftermath of burglary, standing in a ransacked house and finding out your insurance doesn't cover you. Not many people could afford to replace items that are stolen from their property or on their person so having the right theft protection is essential and will put your mind at rest."
What to do when you have been burgled
If the worst happens and you find yourself a victim of burglary, there are a number of things you need to do. Firstly, call the police. The sooner you do this the better as informing them sooner increases the chances of the thieves being caught. They will also give you a crime reference number, write this down, you'll need it.
Don't touch anything
Be sure not to touch anything. The police will want to see the house as it has been left and might want to take photographs and fingerprints. As you wait for the police, make a list of what has been stolen. If any bank cards have been taken, call your bank to cancel them. Call your insurance company to let them know what has happened.
Secure your property
Once the police have been, you are going to need to secure your property. This might be fixing windows and doors, so you might have to call companies to organise this, or your insurance company may send someone.
You'll also need to clear everything up once the police say you can. If you were in the property when the event happened, you might want some help with how you are feeling. Consider Victim Support, who offer free support to victims of crime.
How to make a burglary insurance claim
Dig out your insurance paperwork or find it in your email inbox. Then call your insurance company and select the option for making a claim. You'll have to go through various steps but the insurance company will help you along the way. They'll also want the crime number you were given by the police too, so make sure this is handy. For more help, check out our step-by-step guide on how to make a home insurance claim.
How a claim affects your premium
An insurance claim can affect your premium by pushing up the amount you pay next year. Of course, you don't have to stay with the same company, but you will have to declare that you have made an insurance claim in the last year if you are comparing prices.
Of course, an event like this can often make us look at the security we have on our property and improve it. This can be seen as a positive by insurance companies and if you invest in more security, your premium might actually go down.
Top tips for safety and security at home
Having burglary insurance and theft protection is fantastic but there are lots of home security tips we can think about to have a more secure home. It will help you to feel safer too. Do you have a burglar alarm? What type is it? Is it monitored? Have you considered having CCTV installed on your property? Do you have outdoor motion sensor lights?
Lock your door
Invest in windows and doors which have the best locking systems and use them. You'll be surprised at how many people don't lock their front door when they are in their property. Don't forget about outbuildings, garages, and sheds too. Ensure they are properly locked and secured.
Don't leave bikes in the garden, make sure they are locked away. Make sure valuable gadgets aren't left in view of windows and keys are hidden away. A cage on your letterbox can help prevent people from sticking poles through trying to hook keys.
Away from home
For those of us who take items away from home, be aware of your surroundings and what is going on. Don't leave your expensive smartphone on the table in the pub, would you leave £250 out on the table?
Home security tips will not only help you feel better when you are at home and away from home, but the steps you take can also potentially save you money on insurance rates.
Our homes are our castles. Those places we feel at ease, make family memories, and unwind at the end of a long day. Having home insurance in place will help should the worst happen but those home security tips we've mentioned will also help deter thieves from our doors. Be safe, stay vigilant and compare those insurance prices so you get the best price for the policy you need.
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FAQs
Does home insurance protect against burglary?
There is no protection against being burgled, however home insurance will help financially with the aftermath of a burglary.
What is burglary insurance UK?
Your home and contents insurance can help after a burglary, paying for replacement items and the cost of sorting the damage to your property.
How likely are you to get burgled?
It depends on the area you live in, however home security and burglary statistics from 2020 state that you have a 2.35% chance of being burgled. This works out at 1 in every 43 homes.
What is the difference between burglary and theft insurance?
These words are often used in the same way however they actually have different meanings. Burglary is when someone illegally enters a property to steal from within it.
Theft is when someone's property is taken but it doesn't involve force. Your home insurance could cover you for burglary but not for theft. This could be an add-on to your policy.
What is a burglary insurance policy?
This is an insurance policy that protects you should someone get into your home and steal or damage your property. The insurance will replace or recompense for the loss of items and damage to where you live.
How can I protect my home from being burgled?
Make your property unappealing to break into. Keep expensive goods out of sight of windows, lock your doors and windows. Install cameras, alarms and think of other deterrents to make a potential burglar decide that it's not worth breaking in.
What are the best home security tips?
Invest in home security measures such as CCTV, motion-activated lights, and a burglar alarm. Make your home unappealing to attempt to break into.