A Homeowners Insurance Update
Every 30 seconds a home is burglarized in the United States. The good news is that most people have homeowner’s insurance that will cover some, or all, of the loss. It is our hope that you never have to use your homeowner’s insurance, but it is nice to know it is there if you do need it.
We recently saw an article about an ex-burglar who shared some of his secrets to identifying and getting into home. Home burglaries may seem random in occurrence, but they actually involve a selection process. A burglar's selection process is simple; choose an unoccupied home with the easiest access, the greatest amount of cover, and with the best escape routes possible.
Interesting Home Safety Facts
- Most burglars enter through an unlocked door; usually the front door.
- Burglars prefer to work during the day, when no one is home.
- Burglars do not want to get caught, so homes with security systems are less likely to get broken into.
- Professional criminals will watch your home. If they see old newspapers piled up they assume you are gone.
- Yard equipment left around makes good tools to get into a home.
- Burglars love privacy fences and lots of shrubs around the home.
- Some external door hinges can be removed in as little as 30 seconds.
Prevention Tips
- Get a central station alarm system.
- Keep your yard clean and trees and shrubs trimmed.
- If you go on vacation, stop the paper and garbage.
- If you can, have your calls forwarded while you're away. Burglars sometimes call to see if anyone is home before a break-in.
- Tell a neighbor your plans and have them keep an eye out.
- Use timers for your inside lights and even for your TV.
- Always park your car in the garage with the garage door closed when you are there. That way someone watching for patterns won't know your car isn't there when you're gone.
- Secure your sliding glass door by adding auxiliary patio door locks or installing screws into the track above the sliding door frame to keep the door from being lifted off the track.
Bridgeway Insurance Services is independently owned and locally operated in San Jose Ca. We are here to serve all your insurance needs. We believe that local insurance agencies can best serve your insurance needs. As your independent insurance agency, we will assist you in finding just the right combination of coverage, price and service. We handle both personal and commercial lines of business providing personalized service to each of our clients.