Security tips to help avoid filing a
Homeowner’s insurance claim for theft

When a burglar is enters your home, it helps you to remember that they have a couple of common concerns. One is time and the other is attracting attention to themselves. They want to get in and out as quickly as possible without being seen or heard.

You can make these work in your favor by changing where you hide your valuables. The first place burglars look is in the bedrooms. Many reformed burglars (arrested or otherwise) say they usually spent about 15 minutes in a house, and about half that time was in the bedrooms. They would check the typical hiding places like under the bed, in-between mattresses, underwear drawers, behind shoes on closet floors or on top of closet shelves. The remaining 7.5 minutes is spent rapidly going through the remainder of your house.

To protect your belongings, it helps to think “outside the box,” which means remembering that the first place you think of hiding something is the place the typical burglar also thinks of checking first. What you want to do now is think of non-traditional hiding places.

Put valuables behind stacks of food in your pantry, behind paint cans in the basement or even in an empty and dried out paint can. What about behind the potting soil in the garage, underneath the garage shelves or above ceiling tiles? There are false soup cans you can buy to hide valuables. Avoid the cookie jars for two reasons: One is that they are common hiding places and the other is that burglars often grab a snack for themselves and reach for the cookie jars.

Burglars typically don’t spend too much time in the children’s bedrooms. If they do, it will be a quick look for Game-Boys, iPods and other electronics, which they expect to be fairly visible. Consider the kid’s room as a potential hiding place for valuables.

Keep money, negotiable bonds and valuable jewelry you rarely wear in a safe-deposit box.

Frequently, homes are robbed while the homeowner is at home. A burglar will take a quick walk into a house or reach in an open door or window, the door and see if they can reach a purse, a wallet of other valuables within easy reach. IF they take keys, they may return later when you aren’t home. You think you lost your keys and they’ve actually been stolen. Do not keep any valuables next to a door or window and you can prevent the above from happening to you.

Cincinnati’s E.P. Zimmer Insurance Agency is committed to protecting our clients with premier homeowner’s insurance products as well as advice and suggestions our clients can use to protect their assets and future. Experts recommend you review your insurance programs at least once per year. For a review of yoour situation, call E.P. Zimmer Insurance at 513-381-1919.