Avoid Being a Victim of Burglary This Fall

As the nights draw in, home owners should think about securing their homes against burglary, damage and vandalism.

There have been many studies documenting increases in burglaries during the cooler months. Throughout the fall and winter, criminals see opportunity in the longer hours of darkness and less secure homes. It is important for home owners to make sure that their security measures and home insurance are up to date. "Burglars will tend to go for the path of least resistance and look for homes that lack even basic security measures, so a few simple steps can go a long way to avoid a break in," says Martin Foulds a senior claims manager for Halifax Home Insurance Agency.

Here are a couple steps you can take to help minimize the risk of becoming a victim and to ensure you are promptly compensated if you are so unlucky.

Take simple precautions.

Most burglars are opportunists, so make sure your home isn't an easy target. Security measures that seem the most simple might actually be the ones that prevent a robbery from occurring. Security lighting, key-operated windows, door locks and dead bolts can go a long way towards deterring a burglar. Expanding on those measures might also appeal to you. Motion-sensitive lights and variable light timers are two of the cheapest and most effective ways to prevent crime.

Use extra preventative measures when gone for extended amount of time.

If you are out for a long period of time during the dark months, a timer switch on your lights at dusk will make your house seem occupied. For good measure, you could also put a timer on your radio to further dissuade thieves. Having a neighbor pick up your newspaper and mail will keep those things from alerting a burglar of your absence. If it should snow, the person watching your house could create car tire tracks or footprints in your drive way and shovel the snow away.

Check your insurance policy.

If you own your home you will probably have both buildings and contents insurance. Check that your buildings policy will cover you for winter damage from storms and burst pipes, as well as damage from vandals and break-ins. Not all insurance policies will cover emergency repairs such as broken windows and damaged doors. Some will offer this type of emergency cover as an extra. You should also check that you're not underestimating the value of your contents. As well as the more obvious valuables, think about what it would cost to replace clothes, CD collections, carpets, curtains and furniture. Remember, it is the replacement value of the item you are insuring that counts, not the amount you paid for it.

Be prepared.

If the worst does happen, the right type of action will ensure your case is dealt with quickly by your insurer. Report the break-in or vandalism to the police as soon as possible - you'll need an incident number. Then quote this number to the insurer and give as much detail as possible about what has been taken and any damage that has been caused. If your home has been left unsecured after a break-in, make sure the police and your insurer are aware of this.

Adapted from: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/personalfinance/insurance/contents/8104399/Avoid-being-a-victim-of-winter-burglary.html