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Christmas is all about fun, food and laughter - don't let this be ruined by a burglar in your home. With presents under the tree and visits to family and friends, Christmas is when you are most vulnerable to a burglary in your home. UKCrimeStats state that burglary numbers are always up in December and January each year. But have no fear! We have come up with our best tips to keep your home free from any burglars this Christmas.
As obvious as it might sound, make sure you check that you have shut and locked all windows and doors before leaving the house. Even a window left just slightly open will present burglars with the opportunity to make their Christmas. When putting up your outdoor Christmas lights up, avoid feeding cables through slightly open windows. Where possible, connect them to an outside socket.
It is also important that you do not leave keys in locks, as burglars may be able to find a way to reach them, i.e., through a letterbox.
When you are off out this Christmas, be sure to avoid leaving your exciting new presents and other valuables out in view of windows. It is recommended to place your Christmas tree so it is not directly in view of people passing by outside. Hide your presents away or keep blinds and curtains closed when you are away from your home. Leaving presents in your car unattended and on display will also increase the risk of burglary.
We also recommend wrapping your presents soon after you buy them. This stops potential thieves from instantly being able to tell the value of something and being tempted to enter your home and take something expensive. If they do break into your house, they won't want to waste time unwrapping presents!
Wrapping presents individually instead of putting them in gift bags is also a good idea. Burglars can only take what they can carry, so the more individual presents, the more it will slow them down and make it harder to carry out an expensive coup.
It is always a good idea to make it look like someone is home when you are away from your property. is a good trick to keep burglars away from your property. You could do this by having indoor lights set on a timer or leaving the TV or radio on to create the noise that someone is in. Motion lights are ideal for this scenario as they turn on and bring extra attention to any potential intruders.
If you are staying away from home for a few nights this Christmas, it may be best to ask a neighbour to help by leaving a car on your drive and putting the bins in and out, as well as regularly checking on your home. In addition to this, it is important to check the weather to see if there is any Christmas snow on the horizon, as snow on and around your front door will indicate that you are away.
A pile of post on your floor or in your letter box is a clear sign to burglars that no one is home. If you are expecting deliveries of presents, make sure that you will be in to receive them as having parcels left outside puts them at risk of being stolen.
It is also wise to tear up any envelopes going into your bins to stop thieves having access to your name, address and any personal details that they could take advantage of.
One thing you should always avoid doing, Christmas or not, is sharing on social media when you are going away. Whether this is for a holiday or just for a night out, it's important to wait until you are home before posting online and not to make important information public. It is easy for someone with the right knowledge and information to identify someone and locate an address. The same goes for sharing pictures of your gifts online - always be careful of who you are sharing with and avoid advertising your expensive values too publicly.
If you are going away, you should also avoid leaving bags and suitcases in view from outside. If burglars spot them, it is clear to them that your house is going to be an easy target very soon.
The last thing anyone wants for Christmas is to be going through the devastation of having your home burgled. You should be spending your time with family and friends, not investing it in dealing with the stress of managing an Insurance claim. That's why Oakleafe claims are here to take control of the situation and look after your interests.
When you make a burglary claim, Insurers' Loss Adjuster will look for ways to refuse your claim by interrogating you. You do not want to attempt this battle without any representation on your side. Oakleafe is on your side as the only party who is there to look after your interests fully, negotiating settlements with the Loss Adjuster to get what you're entitled to. Our experienced Loss Assessors offer unparalleled assistance in household theft claims and will make a real difference in the settlement you receive.
Let us handle the stress and complications of negotiating your household burglary claim and leave you to concentrate on your family this Christmas.
Click here for more information or call us today if you are unfortunate enough to suffer a burglary. Have a great Christmas and more importantly, keep safe!
If you have been declined while trying to claim on your domestic or commercial insurance, we can help. We can also help with professional services, for example, Brokers, VAR Valuations and Managing Agents.
