The one thing most likely to impress your insurance company is that you have taken a number of simple steps to reduce the risk of a burglar entering your home. The result? A reduction in the premium is guaranteed. This can be relatively minor things like deadlocks on the doors or, if there are real risks of robbery or kidnapping, the more expensive installation of a panic room. As with all decisions, it’s a balance between the costs of the work and the benefits in the reduction of premiums. Finally, even if you cannot afford a full alarm system, there are cheap ways of protecting your property.

Protection outside your home

Burglars always assess a target before attempting entry. They prefer properties where the trees and bushes offer somewhere to hide. So, cut back the lower branches of any trees and prune all bushes. Keep good sight lines to the windows and doors from the road. Depending on the size of your yard and the amount of street lighting, consider the cost of installing external lights and leave them on at night. You should also remove anything like a tree or trellis that could be used to climb up to the second storey. Similarly, secure any ladders in a locked shed or garage. As a deterrent, plant bushes with thorns close to the house and in front of the windows. The next step up in cost are motion sensors to sweep the yard and the areas in front of the windows and doors.

Protection inside your home

Burglars usually find it easier to enter your home through a window rather than a door. Go to your local hardware store, buy a set of standard locks and fit them to all the ground-floor windows, and any windows on the second floor that can be accessed from a porch or garage roof. There are separate types of lock for sliding windows. Never hang the keys on a nail next to the windows. There are two dangers. The burglar can simply break one pane, reach for the key and open the window. Continue reading →

The least pleasant and most stressful moments of home insurance is of course filing a claim. Insurance companies are rarely happy to receive a claim from their customers, although it their direct job to handle these things. And most people, especially when having and insurance situation for the first time, are quite nervous about contacting the company. To make it a bit easier both for you and your insurer, here are some steps to follow in order to file a claim and get all the benefits of your policy when they’re needed.

1. Inform your company about filing the claim as soon as possible. Contact your insurance agent to discuss any damage that you think your insurance policy should cover. This is the person that will help you with information and advice on how to proceed according to the coverage your policy delivers. It’s better to have all the information regarding your policy and your agent’s contact information somewhere outside your home (in the wallet for example). It is also recommended to record all your conversations with the agent to have a reference if needed. Continue reading →