Christmas holidays are almost here, and many of us will take this opportunity to have an extended holiday to celebrate with friends and family.

But before you go, we urge you to do a quick review of your security and do some “risk management” for your private and business assets.

You might be travelling near or far to celebrate Christmas, but regardless of distance, it is extremely important to maintain the image of an occupied home or office to the outside world.

Many signs can show unwanted guests that your property is unattended. Below is a list of evidence that can make you a target for a break-in.

• A build-up of mail
• Little to no lighting surrounding the premises
• No signs of activity
• Lack of lawn & garden maintenance
• Signage & social media posts displaying business/office closures

 

Before leaving, try to arrange:

• Someone to collect or redirect your mail
• Someone to be on call to check security devices are operational
• Someone to maintain gardens and lawn
• Have an extra security patrol check of premises

 

Christmas is a time to be stress-free and take a break from the rat race; nobody wants to return from a well-deserved break to find their premises has been vandalised and/or broken into.

It might take you an extra 10mins or a half an hour to organise but making an effort to maintain appearances can save you time and money.

Don’t forget that you should also notify your insurer if you intend to leave your property vacant for any period of time

For more information about when you should notify your insurer about extended periods of vacancy, read this article from our parent company IAGB. CLICK HERE

Let’s make this a holiday break, and not a break-in!

And remember, if you are worried your business is a target, insurance is the best risk management strategy you can have. Call our friendly team today and we can review your insurance needs to give you peace of mind.

Then if the worst should happen, the team at Piranha Insurance will be here to get you back on your feet.