Although your house is more at risk of a break-in when you are away, there are steps that can be taken to minimise the risk of illegal entry. 

It is possible to improve the security of your home with a few simple adjustments, both externally and internally, and for complete peace of mind, an adequate home insurance policy is advised.

Regular security

If the contents of your home were stolen, how quickly could you replace them?  Our most precious belongings are kept within the confines of our homes, and it would be distressing if they were damaged or stolen.  To protect against their loss, a home emergency insurance policy is recommended.  A policy like this can also help by providing guidelines which can help you to secure your house. 

To help safeguard your property, keep the following guidelines in mind.

• Secure all doors and windows, and test that they cannot be opened from the outside.
• Have a burglar alarm installed, and use it according to the instructions.
• A security light switches itself on when there is movement in your driveway or at your front door.
• Leave a radio and lights switched on, it helps to create the impression that someone is home. 
• Keep your valuable possessions out of sight – don’t leave your laptop sitting on a table in front of the window, for example, and keep your curtains drawn.

If you are leaving the house for an extended period of time, think about some extra precautions. 

• Put your lights and your radio on a timer switch so that they automatically switch on and off at appropriate times.
• Keep the curtains drawn.
• Put off all regular deliveries for the time that you’ll be away.
• Ask a neighbour to keep an eye on your property, it helps if they can open and close the curtains for example.
• Your name and full address should not be visible on your luggage, rather have your name with a mobile phone number in case of lost luggage. 
• Tuck away your smaller valuables – jewellery, watches, keys and so on – in a hidden safe, or better still, leave them in a safety deposit box. 
• Statistics show that 30% of illegal entries are gained through windows, so check that your window locks are up to standard.   

However careful we are, it’s impossible to turn our homes into fortresses, nor would we want to so if the worst happened and your home becomes a statistic home insurance can help to ease the trauma. 

There are two types of home insurance to consider – home contents cover and buildings insurance.  Both policies protect your possessions against incidents such as fire, flood or theft.  Home contents cover will insure the contents of your home, your electrical goods and furniture for example, while building insurance looks after the structure of your house. 

It’s important to take note of the terms of the home insurance policy.  If, for example, the house will be vacant for 60 consecutive days, certain exclusions may apply.

For more information on home insurance, visit http://www.directline.com/home/welcome.htm.