Of course, your ultimate goal when it comes to your home is preventing a break-in in the first place. We’ve covered this subject on the blog here and here.

Let’s take this topic one step further and get into what you can do to protect your valuables in the event that a burglar gets into your house.

Some valuables, no matter if they are covered by your home insurance plan, may be irreplaceable and therefore priceless to you. All the money in the world would not be enough compensation if you can’t get the item in question back. Historical pieces such as antiques, or precious family heirlooms passed on for generations, fit the bill here.

So let’s look at the steps you can take to keep those valuables of yours safe and sound…

~ First it’s important to think about where you store your valuables. Certainly it might be more convenient to have that beautiful necklace from your great grandma in the jewellery box on your dresser easily accessible when it’s time to get gussied up for a night out on the town. But put yourself in the shoes of a thief. Where do you think the first place he or she might go to find things precious and sparkly? Yup, straight to the bedroom. Or what about negotiables or other valuable paperwork? Wouldn’t the file cabinet in your home office be a great place to start? Tuck these items away in a place that is far from obvious or consider a safe or safety deposit box (again placed in an obscure location).

~ Take inventory of all the valuables you have. Take pictures or make a video and jot down notes of the important details of an item. This helps you to quickly and efficiently assess losses after a break-in, insuring that no piece goes forgotten. When it comes to making your home insurance claim, you don’t want to leave anything out that you would be entitled to compensation for. This kind of organized documentation also makes the insurance claim process easier with its tangible proof of what was stolen. You might not be able to remember all the specifics about the taken item. Your inventory takes care of that for you and helps to alleviate any additional pressure or strain during an already highly stressful situation.

~ Mark those valuables making them less valuable (something engraved is harder to sell as it is obvious that it has been stolen) and easier to track down or recover (it’s tangible proof that the item is yours). You can engrave the item with your SIN or drivers license number for example. The Ontario Provincial Police includes engraving valuables as part of their SafeGuard Ontario Property Security Program. Learn more here.

So of course while you want to have the best home insurance coverage in place and do what you can to make your house as unfriendly as possible to thieves, following the above tips can help to add that extra layer of protection and prevention for your valuables.

Have any questions about home insurance or want a quote for your house and property? Get in touch with us today or use our online quote system.

Image source: FreeDigitalPhotos.net | Suat Eman