Essential Home Security Tips Do you keep your valuables in the freezer?

DO YOU KEEP YOUR VALUABLES IN THE FREEZER?

Essential Home Security Tips from Insurance Expert John Saunders

If you think hiding your valuables in the freezer is the safest place, think again advises John Saunders, insurance expert & Managing Director of Insuresimply.com.au, Australia?s first online insurance broker, who has created essential homes security tips to help Australians protect their homes from break-ins.

With a career in the insurance industry spanning 30 years, knowing what techniques thieves use and advising clients on how to best protect themselves from break-ins is second nature to Saunders. John?s desire to empower all consumers with the knowledge to protect their homes from break-ins & to choose suitable insurance policies has led to the recent launch of a new consumer initiative, Insure Simply and the essential safety tips.

Insure Simply is an independent consumer service which allows consumers to compare and contrast competitive policies from a range of different insurers. The policies featured on the site are selected for their quality and match to consumer needs - rather than their brand.

"From my experience of working with countless robbery claims, many Australians are unaware of the techniques thieves use and the essentials that they need to know to protect their homes from break-ins. For instance, many people choose to hide their valuables in the freezer however this is the most common place that thieves look too."

"With an estimated 259,800 households suffering at least one break-in during the 2005[1] and 74,800 households having had at least one vehicle stolen[2], it?s important that Australians become more prepared in terms of their home security & safety - these tips will help to do that and allow people to have peace of mind".

John Saunders essential home security tips include:

1. Don?t hide valuables in freezer (it is the most common place).

2. Keep windows clear of obstructions (i.e. no trees, shed etc.) so that a veil is not provided for thieves. Many home break-ins occur during daylight hours.

3. Have a good relationship with your neighbours so that they are encouraged to keep their eyes open for your benefit.

4. Always leave a jar of small notes in easy view inside the house, so that the thief thinks that is the total of the cash they will get (make it easy for them to get something and get out).

5. Fit and maintain smoke alarms.

6. Have a fire blanket and fire extinguisher handy in kitchen and laundry.

7. Empty the lint filter in clothes dryer regularly.

8. Have mail collected by a neighbour when away.

9. If car normally parked in driveway, move it elsewhere for a period before you go away so that its absence is not suddenly noticed.

10. Make sure your gardens and lawns are done before you go away and maintained if absent for lengthy period.

11. Have a couple of lights that come on during the night but try and set them up so that they are not the same ones at the same time every day.

12. Don?t leave a message on the answering machine telling people when you will be back.

13. If a woman is home on her own and an unknown person is at the door, do not say that no-one else is home, rather say that there is a man in the bathroom for example and ask if he can call the person when free.

14. Have an alarm fitted with the panic facility i.e. a button that sets the alarm off in emergency.

Further insurance & safety information is available at Insuresimply.com.au, as well as competitive Home & Contents and Motor Vehicle insurance policies from insurance brokers including: QBE, Allianz & Calliden.