House insurance plays an important role in protecting you in case your home is burgled. It is vitally important to check that you have adequate home insurance and that you have the correct type of cover for your individual needs. However, there are many other precautions that you should also be taking to protect yourself and keep your home safe and secure. Don’t overlook taking these few simple measures even if you have home insurance and live in a very safe, secure neighborhood.
In this post, our house insurance team shares our top 7 tips to keep your home, yourself and your belongings safe.
Lock Your Doors and ensure all Windows are closed
It is a good idea to leave one person in charge of closing the windows and locking the doors at night. Making one person’s responsible helps cut down on confusion.
Keep on top of your letter box and the garden
Put the post away and carry out garden maintenance regularly, but especially before you leave on a holiday. Don’t allow your home to appear unkempt as that can indicate that ‘no one is home’ and this can attract burglars / thieves.
Invest in Security Lights and an Alarm System
Security lights – especially ones that are activated when they detect any motion – are an important feature for modern homes. So are alarm systems. Many advanced security systems today can be linked to your smartphone for added convenience. Look at investing in additional security on your home. Remember to also inform your insurance company of any such additions as you can receive a discount on your premium for having professionally accredited alarm systems like ‘phone watch’ fitted in your home.
Regularly Take Inventory Around Your Property
Look for tampering of locks, scuff marks and other signs of forced entry. Make sure that you don’t leave ladders lying around with easy access for burglars to use. Don’t leave keys under flowerpots or door mats, where they can easily be found by thieves.
Check your plumbing and electrical systems regularly
Make sure to get your drains and other plumbed systems looked at regularly. This way, you can nip small problems in the bud before they turn into a disaster. 80% of flood damage claims are as the result in internal faulty ‘unmaintained’ plumbing systems.
Employ an electrician to check your internal electrics. Get them to do a full audit on your house and itemise any wiring deficiencies that you may have, with the severity of the issues highlighted. Get the important issues addressed as soon as possible.
Be Careful with Fire
Candles and open fireplaces are a great homely addition to our homes and can create a very cozy atmosphere, but unfortunately, they are extremely dangerous to be left unattended. Make sure you always fully extinguish candles and fires properly before leaving them unattended. Always store matches safely from children and remember to get your chimney cleaned regularly.
Keep smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors topped up with fresh batteries when needed.
Smoke detectors and carbon monoxide alarms are essential for home safety. Set them to a low tolerance and don’t be tempted to let them go a day or two when the batteries wear out. Replace them right away.
Parting Thoughts
If you can, get a neighbor to drive past your house while you’re away on holidays and to go around the back occasionally to check everything is okay.
Having a good house insurance policy is an important investment for you and your family, it will be well worth the investment should the unfortunate ever happen. Remember to get in touch with our house insurance Ireland specialists if you need any advice or need to get a quotation for your home insurance Ireland renewal.