Burglaries are not uncommon especially if you happen to be out of town for a good bit of time. No wonder that this is the most cited instance when filing a claim. Most break ins happen in South Carolina over the festive seasons which means a huge bounty of homes are open to burglars. Statistics show that two out of every three burglaries happen in homes when most people spend an average of three nights out of town during the holidays. So ensure that you take some precautions before leaving town.
Nine out of ten household burglaries are preventable according to the Insurance Information Institute. Light, time and noise make the difference. Most insurance companies give discounts of 2 to 15 percent for devices that make a home safer – deadbolt locks, window grates, bars and smoke/fire/burglar alarms.
The South Carolina Insurance News Service offers the following tips to make your home safe from burglars:
- Protect your home with security lights, solid doors and windows, deadbolt locks, and by trimming trees and shrubs.
- Install a burglar alarm. Many alarm systems will qualify you for a discount on your home or renter's insurance.
- Have a trustworthy neighbour pick up your mail or newspapers. Ask them to keep an eye out for anything that might look suspicious around your home.
- Make sure valuables are not in easy view from outside your home. Don’t leave any gifts under the tree visible through a window.
- When travelling, use automatic timers for lights and lower the sound of your telephone so it can't be heard from outside.
When it is not burglars, it is fire. Fire damages account for more than 60% of the claims filed in South Carolina. The average property losses resulting from a fire was estimated at $20,000 in 2003.
The number of home fires caused by candles was an pegged at 15,000 and the death toll was estimated to be 102 while nearly 1,473 were injured and property worth $278 million was damaged in 2002.
To use candles safely this holiday season, the South Carolina Insurance News Service recommends:
- Keep candles away from children, especially when they are alone or unsupervised.
- Clear the area of all combustible materials, such as Christmas trees and decorations, heating oil, curtains, and Christmas paper products before lighting candles.
- Use candles in safe, sturdy, non-combustible holders that won't tip over and can collect dripping wax.
- Don't forget to extinguish all candles when leaving a room or going to sleep.
- Avoid carrying candles around while they are lit.
- Don't light candles near open windows where the breeze can blow the blinds or curtains towards the flame.
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