7 ways to keep your home safe during the holidays

Malaysia enjoys quite a number of public holidays due to our rich variety of cultures. And you don't need to be a practicing member of any culture to appreciate it, nor to be grateful that it gives us time for returning to one’s hometown and reuniting with family and friends.

However, leaving your home over the holiday can be worrying. What if something happens while you are away? Although some things are beyond our control, you can still take some safety measures. These are 7 tips on how you can crime-proof your home and give yourself peace of mind this when you're not home during the holidays:

1. Lock up

Sounds simple, doesn’t it? However, this is something that is often overlooked. Remember to check that all your windows and doors are securely locked before you leave for your hometown. If you must keep a set of keys outside, hide them somewhere only you and a trusted relative would know about.

2. Invest in safety features

Today, there are many home safety equipment such alarms, flashlights and motion detectors which serve to crime-proof your home. It is advisable to install a proper alarm system that not only alerts people when there is unexpected activity within the premises, but also notifies you when it happens. That way, you can get your neighbour to do a quick check. At the very least, purchase a few high quality locks to secure the doors and windows.

3. Do not announce it online

While you may want to tell the world how excited you are about this year’s celebrations, announcing your absence on social media informs others that your house will be unoccupied during that time. These days, it’s hard to tell who your “friends” or “friends of friends” truly are! Be careful about what you share online. Revealing personal information such as when you are away or where you are going is never a good idea.

4. Out of sight, out of reach

Displaying your valuables can show unwanted visitors how much you have. Be sure to keep important items like your laptop and jewellery away from windows to keep them out of reach. For a long-term solution, invest in a sturdy safe to store your valuables.

5. Tell a trusted neighbour or relative

If you know a trusted neighbour or relative who will be in town over the festive season, make sure to inform them that you will be away. Get them to keep an eye on your home and take note of any suspicious behaviour. At the same time, they can care for your pet, water the plants and bring in newspapers, letters or flyers which may signal your absence.

6. Make your house look “lived in”

Your house is less likely to become a target if people think that somebody is still in. Nowadays, it is easy to get proper light timers installed in the home, which turn certain lights on or off automatically throughout the day. Otherwise, you can look for basic light timers that can be conveniently plugged into the wall sockets.

7. Make sure your house is insured

Although this does not prevent break-ins, having the right home insurance provides additional peace of mind. Should anything unexpected happen while you are away from your beloved home, at least you won’t find yourself at a greater loss. Allianz Malaysia has several different policies which offer protection against loss, emergency relief benefits, allowances and referral services for home assistance. See Smart Home Cover to learn more about total home protection which you can customize to your needs.

Get in touch with our advisors today by submitting an enquiry under any product you're interested in, or reaching us via 1-300-22-5542 or customer.service@allianz.com.my, or contact us via Facebook live chat for more info.

Source:

https://www.nst.com.my/news/2016/05/144196/malaysias-crime-index-sees-46-cent-increase

Photo credit: IQRemix / CC BY-SA

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