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Keeping your family safe is one of your most important goals, and not having home insurance claims increase your premiums can also help your budget. Taking steps to prevent burglaries can help you meet both of these goals. Here's what you should do.
Get a Dog
Obviously, getting a dog is a major commitment, and you shouldn't get one unless you were already thinking about it or would want a pet. However, burglars routinely say that dogs make them choose another house. It's a combination of the barking drawing attention to them and the risk of getting bitten. If you don't want a dog, a beware of dog sign could be enough to fool at least some burglars away. Check with your insurance carrier before choosing a breed or mix of breed to make sure that the breed isn’t on their list of dogs which are ineligible or excluded. Dogs & Homeowners Insurance.
Use a Video Doorbell
Burglars often knock on doors of houses they burglarize. Sometimes, it's right before they break in to see if anyone's home. Other times, they try to knock and talk to you about a lost dog, a survey, or something they supposedly have for sale. This gives them a chance to look inside to see if they should come back.
When you're away from home, a video doorbell can let you talk to them and fool them into thinking you're at home or at least make them aware someone is watching. If you're home, answer through the video doorbell first if any strangers ring so if they're trying to case you for a burglary, they know they were on camera and won't come back.
Keep Sight Lines Open
Burglars need time to get inside your home and want to stay hidden while they're working plus. Use low plants, flowers, or other decorations in front of your windows and doors rather than large bushes or trees. Even in a fenced backyard, following this rule helps. Burglars are paranoid about someone looking out of an upper floor window or a neighbor seeing them.
Install Lighting
Outdoor lighting also prevents burglars from finding the concealment they want. Have all approaches to your home lit up, not just your front porch. To keep them from knowing when you're home to turn the lights on and off, use timers. Or, use motion detectors to save energy and make them guess if it was a person watching them who just turned the lights on.
Source: Insurance Technologies Corporation |