If you are leaving home to go away for the Easter break, then make security a top priority.
If you are leaving home to go away for the Easter break, then make security a top priority.
East London-based insurance brokerage and risk advisors, Aon South Africa, says it has noticed a marked increase in residential robberies in the last year.
According to the latest SAPS crime stats, robbery with aggravating circumstances increased by 8.5% for 2014/2015 for the country as a whole, while robbery with aggravating circumstances increased by 10.9% (from 440 to 488) reported incidences in the East London precinct alone.
“The current modus operandi appears to be the ‘cloaking’ method where a burglar covers themselves with easily obtainable items such as throw rugs or duvets which mean that an alarm system’s normal heat sensor will not pick up the robber’s body heat,” says Aon's Jenny De Vries.
“The focus seems to be on residences where the owners are not home, making away with jewellery, cash and firearms. In addition, burglars are gaining access to the premises through bathroom windows where there are no alarm sensors,” Jenny adds.
Jenny offers some practical tips:
· Ensure that your alarm is activated at all times when you leave your premises and ensure that your alarm is always in good working order.
· Make sure that your alarm system is up to date, technology changes all the time.
· Keep any shrubs trimmed and have sufficient lighting on your gate and down the driveway.
· Have your remote handy and stay on the road, don’t wait in the driveway while the gate opens.
· If you arrive home and any of the doors and/or gates are open – leave the premises.
· Don’t leave ladders and tools lying around your home.
· Keep your valuables in a locked safe bolted to the wall.
· Refrain from keeping large sums of money at home.
· Make sure your home has burglar bars, security gates, electric fences and outside beams.
· Exchange contact details with your immediate neighbours for assistance in the event of an emergency.
Don’t let anyone in that you don’t know – and if you have staff working at your home while you're not there, tell them not to let anyone in unless you have told them to expect a call.
Whilst insurance is generally known to be a grudge purchase, it is imperative that your sums insured are reviewed annually, especially with the impact of the falling Rand that has a profound effect on the cost of replacing equipment, parts and items bought overseas.
“If you are under-insured in the event of a serious loss, you may, however, find yourself in a situation where you are paid partially for a loss at claims stage. Insurers call it the ‘average formula’ which means that if your property is under-insured by 40%, for example, then you may only be paid 60% of your claim, regardless of whether it is a partial or total loss,” explains Jenny.
