Aviva’s Burglary Report

You’ve locked the front door, the back door, the side doors, the garage, the shed, the outhouse (yes, they still exist), the cat flap, and the doggie door. And as the dog stretches its paws across its cozy bed with a lazy yawn, you may sigh remembering the days you hoped it would become a fierce guard dog – or at least one that doesn’t yelp in fear of its own tail.

Going through a security checklist in your head, probably more a habit now, it’s worth sparing a thought for home insurance as you help protect your home.

But, with available home security technology and safety advice from more places than the dog can shake his tail at, do UK residents feel safe from burglaries?

In this article, you’ll find : 

• Are UK residents worried about burglaries?
• What security measures do UK residents currently have?
• How do UK residents secure their homes?
• Common Security Measures for UK Residents
• How can I prepare against burglaries?
• What about my home and contents insurance?
• What should I do if I’ve been burgled?

Just under one third (32%), in our recent survey of 2,004 UK individuals, worry once a month or more about their home being broken into or burgled. ^{Footnote [1]} One in ten (10%) worry about it everyday with those aged 25-34 being most likely to worry daily (11%).^{Footnote [1]}

Some may be a bit less concerned with a third (33%) never worrying about being burgled. Leading this charge are men, 37% of whom are never worried, while 29% of women admit having no concerns about their home being burgled.^{Footnote [1]}

And it may be that the more mature in age we become, the less we worry about home invasions. Of those aged 55+, just under two fifths (39%) never worry about home burglaries while nearly three quarters of those aged 16-24 (70%) and 25–34 (74%) do worry.^{Footnote [1]}

For more than two thirds (67%) of our participants that are worried about burglaries, their concerns may also revolve around the time of year. ^{Footnote [1]} You may want to put down your mince pie and click off your festive movie because it seems a third (33%) feel more ill-at-ease during Christmas with nearly a quarter (22%) feeling more worried about burglaries during the winter. ^{Footnote [1]} And while women are more worried than men around Christmas (36% versus 30%), it seems men are more anxious about burglaries during bank holiday weekends (14% versus 9%). ^{Footnote [1]}Our claims data for the past three years suggest there may be a basis for these seasonal worries. Claims for theft (by way of forcible and violent entry) spike between September, October, and November, as the nights grow longer and darker and the clocks go back.^{Footnote [2]}

• 2021 saw a 50% uptick in claims for theft from forcible and violent entry between September and October, with a 2% increase from October to November.
• 2022 saw an 18% uplift in claims for theft using forcible and violent entry between September and October, with another 23% increase in claims from October to November.
• 2023 saw a 34% upswing in claims for theft via forcible and violent entry between September and October, with another 10% increase between October and November.

But there’s no need to panic. With our suggestions below , you may feel more confident during this season in the future.

Just under half (49%) of those surveyed admit to leaving their home empty when gone for three days or longer with just under one in ten (9%) regularly monitoring their home through cameras. Over a quarter (27%) say a close relative, friend, or neighbour checks on the home while they are gone.^{Footnote [1]}

How do UK residents secure their homes?

Depending on whether they’re awake, sleeping, or away for less than a day, UK residents safety measures vary.^{Footnote [1]}

Common Security Measures for UK Residents

More than a third (35%) of those surveyed tear up or shred documents and receipts to reduce chances of fraud or identity theft. And nearly the same amount (34%), keep all high value items out of view or hidden.^{Footnote [1]}

Some of those surveyed take measures by:^{Footnote [1]}

• never posting on social media when they’re away on holiday (32%)
• not answering their front door unless they know who it is (29%)
• never posting on social media when they’re out of the house for a few hours (27%)
• never posting any high value items on social media (24%)
• having a pet that they think will put off burglars (17%).

It seems women are more likely than men to take safety precautions: ^{Footnote [1]}

• tearing up or shredding all documents and receipts (40% versus 29%)
• keeping high value items out of view (39% versus 30%)
• never posting on social media when they’re away (36% versus 27%)
• not answering their front door if they don’t know the person knocking (38% versus 18%).

To those in our survey who were burgled before, the average cost of damages and items stolen stands at £3,895.92. More than two in five (41%) admit the cost to be more than £1,000, but those aged 35-44 paid the highest average costs at £7,199.09.^{Footnote [1]}

Detailed by the Neighbourhood Watch Network, and using their checklist of questions, remembering actions that ‘WIDEN’ your safety could help you prepare against burglaries: ^{Footnote [3]}

• Windows – lock your windows. Are my windows
  • closed and locked?
  • sensors activated?
  • secured in the garage and shed with locks? 
• Interior – put your interior lights on a timer. Are my
  • inside lights on a switch timer or a smart bulb with a timer? 
  • home alarms on?
  • high value items out of sight?
  • chargers and cables for laptops and iPads out of view?
  • valuable items recorded in pictures and in written records?
• Doors – double lock your doors or deadlock them. Have I
  • double locked or deadlocked my front door?
  • locked all the doors in the house?
  • kept my keys out of sight, but to hand in case of an emergency?
• Exterior – put your exterior lights on sensors. Have I
  • put the outside lights on a sensor?
  • cut down tall hedges around the outside of the home?
  • put away all the packaging from expensive items (laptops, tablets, phones, games consoles)?
  • locked my car and taken out any valuable items?
  • locked the shed, side gates, garage, and outbuildings? For more tips and tricks, check out our article on how to help protect your shed from burglars. 
  • put away any things that can be used to break in (bricks, ladders, rubble, garden equipment)?
•  Neighbours – keep your eye out for neighbours. Have I
  • let my neighbours know that I’m going away for a while?

What about my home and contents insurance?

Part of helping to protect your home and your belongings is not only making sure you have appropriate insurance, but it’s also important to know your facts from fiction about what could invalidate your policy.

Nearly one in five (19%) of those surveyed, for example, believe that if a property is left unoccupied for more than the number of days noted in the policy, it wouldn’t invalidate the insurance claim. And a further 25% are unsure. ^{Footnote [1]} The truth is, it may invalidate certain types of claims depending on the insurer. Check your policy to find out the total number of days you can leave your property unoccupied without it invalidating your claim.

43% of survey participants believe (or aren’t sure) that not informing the police of a theft or attempted theft wouldn’t void their claim. ^{Footnote [1]} The truth is, most insurers say you need to report burglaries to the police (to claim), but they may have some exceptions based on specific circumstances that would make doing so difficult. Ultimately, not reporting may mean your claim is delayed while your insurer waits to receive a crime reference number. Check your policy for the specific details.

First, as impossible as it may seem, try your best to remain calm and make sure you’re in a safe place. Once the shock settles, and you’re within safety, take these steps:

Step 1: Don’t touch anything 

This will be a challenge as, rather naturally, you’ll want to sift through your things to see what’s missing. But until your home is checked by the police, you’ll be best placed to pop your hands in some pockets (to keep from moving things) until you’re out of the house.

Step 2: Leave the house

Walking into your home to realise you’ve been burgled is devastating. But your safety, as well as that of your family, is better served by leaving the house immediately. Find a safe place to wait and call 101 to report it. If you think the intruder(s) is still inside your home, then call 999. Make note of any unusual or suspicious activity as you wait for the police to arrive.

Step 3: Take inventory

Once you have permission from the police, start taking stock by making a list of what’s been stolen with an estimate of how much each item costs. This will not only help the police, but also your insurer. Take pictures of any damage (inside and out) caused by the burglary.

Figuring out the cost of the damage may be challenging, too. More than a third (37%) of our survey participants don’t think they could give an accurate estimate of how much items in their home cost and just over one in five (22%) don’t keep records of any purchases.^{Footnote [1]}

Step 4: Get in touch with your insurer 

Check your policy details because some insurers ask that you get in contact within 24 hours of the burglary. They may ask for

• the name and address of anyone who may have witnessed the burglary 
• any suspicious activity before or after the home robbery 
• the police report that details the incident.

Step 5: Clean up 

Once your home is fully inspected and reports taken by the police, you may take time to clean up the mess or damage caused by the burglary. As this may be overwhelming, reach out to family and friends who may help you in the process.

If burgled in the future, nearly nine in ten (86%) of those surveyed would report it to the police and four in five (80%) would take pictures as evidence. Just over three quarters (76%) would report the burglary to their insurance company and nearly as many (74%) would improve their security measures for their home.^{Footnote [1]}

No one plans to have their home burgled, but taking precautions and finding the right cover may help ease your anxieties.