Christmas is the season for giving, but in the insurance world, we see that unfortunately, it is also sometimes the season for taking.
On the bright side, there are a few things you can do to prevent thieves from targeting you, your car, and your home.
Prevention Tips for Your Car:
- Do not leave gifts and valuables in your car, including your cell phone and sunglasses – not even for one minute. Avoid leaving your car unattended with valuables inside. Comprehensive coverage covers theft of your vehicle, but you will have to file a theft claim with your home or renter’s policy for your personal items that are taken from inside your car.
- Invest in an anti-theft device for your car.
Prevention Tips for Your Home:
- Leave your lights on if you are going to be out for the evening. You may even want to leave your TV or radio on to help deter thieves.
- Lock all your windows and doors.
- Keep your Christmas tree and gifts out of plain view.
- If you are gone for an extended period, set your lights to automatic timers and have someone house sit for you.
- If a house sitter is not an option, have a neighbor keep an eye on your house, pick up your mail, shovel snow, and even park in your driveway.
- Break down boxes from gifts and hide them in the garage until your regularly scheduled garbage pickup. Boxes give away high price items like computers, speakers, and TV’s.
- It is a good idea to take a photo of new items along with a brief description and any serial numbers in case you do have a break-in. This information can be helpful when filing a claim.
Prevention Tips for Holiday Shopping:
- Stay alert to people around you. Thieves and pickpockets lurk in crowded malls.
- Keep your distance from others when possible.
- Carry your purse close to your body and make sure your straps are not easily broken if yanked.
- Men should carry their wallets in their front pants pocket.
- Avoid carrying lots of cash by using credit cards or checks.
- Park in well-lit areas.
- Lock your car and close all windows.
- Keep your packages in the trunk and out of sight.
Being properly insured during this time of the year is a great way to protect yourself. Savings can be found when you are able to bundle your home or renter’s insurance with your personal auto.