Home Security Tips | Saga Home Insurance

Some burglaries are planned out in advance, while others are committed by opportunistic chancers. Either way, upping your home security or just being more security conscious can reduce the risk of it happening to you.

Home security basics

Doors and windows

Your first line of defence are the doors and windows of your home, which is where an intruder will first try to get in. Single glazed windows and wooden doors are vulnerable – double-glazed windows are thicker and come with lockable handles while uPVC doors have multipoint locks.

If your external doors are wooden, they should have two locks on them, a latch-type lock (like a Yale) and a mortice lock. With wooden window frames, fitting locks is a fairly easy DIY job – look for something like a swing lock that’s simple to install.

Outdoor lighting

The cover of darkness is very helpful to burglars. Whether it’s the shock of a light coming on or the possibility of being seen, exterior lights can put thieves off.

Solar motion-activated lights need very little installation or call in an electrician for a hard-wired one if there are dark spots around your home that could give an intruder welcome cover.

Video camera

It’s never been easier to set up video recording for home security. Cameras linked to your Wi-Fi can pick up motion inside your house and out, and record as well as alert you on your phone.

A simple smart doorbell will capture footage of people coming to your door and enable you to talk to them to let them know you’re watching.

Burglar alarms

For extra security, an old-fashioned burglar alarm is hard to beat, especially if it is monitored remotely by a security company. If you have a large home or high hedges, a conventional burglar alarm can make up for multiple entry points or lack of visibility from the street.

Safes

Even if you only have one or two pieces of precious jewellery, a small safe is an effective means of securing smaller items. You can get safes similar to the little ones you find in hotel rooms so you should be able to find a spot to fit one in your home. They’re also a great places to store passports and other important paperwork.

Get smart…

There are some great gadgets you can use to increase you home security. Along with Wi-Fi-enabled camera doorbells and motion sensor video, there are other things to try too. Smart light bulbs can be linked to your phone and programmed to go off and on– or you could stick with basic and plug a lamp into a timer switch.

You can now even get motorised curtain bots and rails you can set to open and close to give the impression of someone at home.

Does extra security make my home insurance cheaper?

Simply having more security features at home will not necessarily make your insurance cheaper as many things get taken into consideration when calculating your premium.

Even if you have alarms, video and window locks, they only work if they’re activated or someone’s turned (and removed) the key. What extra security measures can do, if used, is give a would-be burglar enough inconvenience for them to move onto somewhere easier.

Top tips

Here are a few simple measures you can take to improve security and protect your home.

Doors and windows

If you’ve got older patio or sliding doors, you can add a small extra lock.
Keep doors and windows locked when not in use.
Fit a chain and a door viewer so you can check the identity of callers.
New house? Get new locks fitted.

Your possessions

Mark electricals and antiques (carefully and with advice if necessary) and attach a warning sticker to your front door, so thieves know items will be tricky to sell on.
You can register your serial numbers for free. It’s recommended by the Met and other police forces around the country who run the details of seized and recovered items through this database.
Keep car keys, house keys, cash and rings away from windows or and doors.

Outside the house

Close and lock your garage, shed and other outbuildings when you are not using them.
Mark tools and equipment so it’s easily identified and difficult to sell on.
Lock away garden equipment and tools, especially ladders.
Do not leave spare keys hidden outside your home.
Discreetly dispose of the boxes for any expensive gadgets you may have bought.

Home security dos and don’ts

Join your Neighbourhood Watch scheme or a residents’ WhatsApp or Facebook group to know about any activity and look out for what’s going on.
If you’re going away, make sure you cancel deliveries beforehand. Talk to friends and neighbours about keeping an eye on things.

Never open your door to anyone you don’t know without asking to see their official identity card.
Don’t leave keys or valuables in view of the windows or in your hallway. Fit a letterbox cover so people can’t see inside.

How home insurance can help after a burglary

After a burglary, your home insurance can help offset the cost of replacing stolen items. But it can only do so if you have the right amount of cover in place.

Regularly assess how much your valuables are worth and check the ‘per item’ limit on your policy as you might have to specify or declare things that are worth over a certain amount.

Find out more about how to make sure your jewellery and valuables are properly insured.

Your home insurance may not be able to help if it’s found that a door has been left unlocked or windows left open, so make it part of your routine to check the house before going out.

Saga Home Insurance offers extra support and security where you need it most – our policies cover theft, property damage and stolen items up to the sum insured, including bicycles. Cover also includes theft from outbuildings and lock replacement.