Home safety tips

Your home is full of memories and valuables that mean a lot to you. And you’d like it to stay that way.

Did you know?

446,400 Australian households were the victims of at least one break-in or attempted break-in in 2011/12.
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics

Here are some of the ways you can protect your home against burglary and theft:

• Always lock all outside doors and windows when you go out, even if you are only ducking out for 10 minutes.
• Lock your external garage or garden shed with a quality key-operated lock or padlock.
• If you go out at night, leave some internal lights and a radio on.
• Trim trees and shrubs around windows so they’re easily visible.
• Don’t leave keys hidden outside your house.
• If you are in the garden or watching TV, lock up parts of the house you can’t keep an eye on.
• Lock away ladders, garden tools and bicycles.
• If you have a lot of jewellery, valuable documents or cash, consider installing a safe or a burglar alarm.
• Never leave notes for people telling them you are out and when you will be back.

What do I need?

A minimum level of home security should include:

• Key-operated two-cylinder deadlocks fitted to all external hinged doors, and/or
• Key-operated lock or patio bolts fitted to all external sliding doors

Plus one of the following:

• Key-operated single cylinder window locks fitted to all accessible windows
• Security grills or security screens fitted to all accessible windows
• Local type burglar alarm system installed in the home.

How can I store my information safely?

If you ever need to make a claim, you will need to provide evidence of value and ownership of lost, stolen or damaged goods or property.

This is especially the case for articles such as jewellery, artworks, hand-woven rugs and collections, as well as recently purchase items such as stereos, TVs, cameras, computers, listed contents or specified effects.

There are several ways you could store this information, including storing your evidence and valuations in a safe, or a fireproof area or metal container.

Need to make a claim?

Click here for information on how to make a claim.