Dealing with being burgled

Peter Olyott, CEO of Indwe Broker Holdings.

There are few things in life more traumatic than arriving home and discovering you have been burgled. According to the 2013/2014 crime statistics, house robberies, which are among the crimes South Africans fear the most, increased to more than 19 000 recorded incidents, the highest in a decade. As common as burglary is, most people do not know what to do if they become victims.

What to do when you are burgled

“The first thing you should do, is report the incident,” says Peter Olyott, MD of Indwe Risk Services. “As far as your insurer is concerned, a crime has not occurred without a police report.”

The next step is to contact your insurance company and let them know a break-in has occurred and property was stolen. The insurer may assign an assessor to perform an inspection of your residence and assess your claim; otherwise, the inspection will be handled entirely by phone, mail, or the internet. Whatever way, the smoothness of your claim will depend upon the quality and quantity of the information you provide. Your insurer wants to be certain they are not being asked to pay more than necessary, and you will want to be sure you are being compensated fairly for your loss. For these reasons, the best time to prepare for a claim is long before you have to file one.

The importance of home insurance

Home insurance cover protects the insured from financial loss when one experiences misfortunes like burglaries. For the person who has not taken home insurance cover, such theft will leave a huge dent financially. Home insurance not only provides peace of mind, but also allows one to continue enjoying the same kind of lifestyle that one had before the burglary.

As part of the claim process, you will be asked to provide a detailed list with values and (ideally) pictures of what was taken. “It is advisable to keep an accurate home inventory in a safe place other than your home,” says Olyott. “If you are equipped with your police report and home inventory, your claim process can take as little as a week or two for payment to arrive”.

Once you have a claim, your insurer may look more carefully at your situation and make adjustments to your premium. As in any relationship, disagreements can occur; this is why it is very important to be insured with a reputable broker and to build a long-term relationship with your insurer. “It is important to get good advice when taking out home insurance. At Indwe Risk Services, we ensure you have read and understood your policy before it becomes necessary to file a claim,” Olyott explains.

Prevention is better than cure

As any insurer will tell you, the most generous theft policy in the world won’t make your home more secure. The best way to protect your home and property from burglary is to reduce the chances of becoming a victim of a break-in in the first place. With the upcoming holidays, it is a good idea to keep the following in mind:

• Make your home look occupied – ask a neighbour to switch on lights and take out post if you are away.
• Lock all outside windows and doors before going out or to bed.
• Trim shrubbery back from in front of windows and walls.
• Add exterior lighting with motion sensors.
• Ask someone to mow the lawn if you are away for longer than 2 weeks.

“No amount of money can replace the lost sense of security that follows a home burglary,” Olyott acknowledges. “If you find yourself the victim of a break-in, remember that restoring your family’s sense of stability and security is the number one priority. Your insurer’s job is to help you do this and at Indwe Risk Services it is our priority,” Olyott concludes.