One of the uncomfortable truths in a post-COVID world is that crime is simply on the rise. While an insurance blog isn’t the place to debate the reasons for the increase in crime, we do know that crime has direct implications on your insurance. The question we are tackling today is, what happens if your house is robbed?
First, there is a difference between a robbery and a burglary. A robbery is when you are present and the intruder uses force or the threat of force to take your belongings. A burglary is when an intruder takes your belongings when you're not home. If either of these happens to you, it is important to use the proper language when reporting to the police.
Let’s say you come home from work, go to walk inside, and notice the door is kicked in and it appears someone has broken in. First, and this is extremely important, do not go inside. Regardless of how confident you are in your abilities to fight an intruder, you simply do not know what is on the other side of that door. Aside from the physical safety you are risking by entering your home, your house is now an active crime scene and you may contaminate it by entering. Call the police and wait outside at a safe distance from the house.
After the police have left, do an honest assessment of what was stolen. Creating a master list of stolen items which be beneficial when dealing with homeowners insurance. Taking down serial numbers can add to the likelihood of an item being retrieved. Police can check local pawn shops and online websites to see if any of your stolen items appear there. More importantly, if you have any single item that is extremely valuable to you, it may be worthwhile to look at a Property & Valuables policy that can cover jewelry, fine arts, laptops, tablets, and more. This will sit on top of your homeowners' policy which may have limits in regard to replacing stolen items.
Next, call your insurance agent to report the claim. A claims adjuster will be in touch with you to help with next steps in the process. One of the great things about working with an independent local agency like us is we walk through every step of the process with you. Instead of dealing with a call center in India, our local team knows the details of this process and can get you back to normal as quickly as possible.
House robberies are unfortunately all too common. However, having proper insurance and a local agency that has your back can provide ultimate peace of mind. Call Sean, Amanda, or Louis today and experience the difference with Roland, Abbott, & DeZoort Insurance.
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