Holiday home specialists reveal top tips on keeping your holiday home safe when you’re not there

Last year there were reportedly over 200,000 burglaries across England and Wales, which suggests that a house is burgled every 165 seconds [1]. A video on TikTok went viral from a burglar revealing how she broke into over 200 homes, the video received over 6.4 million views and over 500k likes on the app [2]. The creator revealed that she would favour burgling houses in bad rainy weather as neighbours and passersby are less likely to come outside and chase you. She also revealed that she would burgle houses between prime time 8 am – 11 am as most people will be out of the house. She explained that she was more likely to burglar homes with “under surveillance” signs and obvious security systems as she knew there was something to protect.

Google searches worldwide for “holiday home security tips” have increased by 100% in the last 12 months. Similarly, Amazon searches for “home security alarm system” receive over 19,600 in the UK [3].  With this in mind, Overseas holiday home insurance specialists, Intasure, a Gallagher company, has provided tips on ways to help protect your holiday home when you’re not there. 

If you know people in the local area, ask a neighbour or friend to visit the property while you’re away. They can help monitor if the property appears vacant such as a pile of posts on the doorstep, making it clear to burglars that the home is empty. 

Before leaving your property for an extended period, ensure it is locked and as secure as possible. Holiday homeowners should consider removing any keys that they may have hidden outside and investing in heavy-duty looks to add extra security. 

If your property will be empty for a considerable amount of time, it is worth considering moving valuables to a safe and secure storage facility. This makes the property less attractive to burglars and squatters and can reduce the chance of having to claim on an insurance policy.

Avoid posting that you are leaving your holiday home on social media, this could be a potential tip-off to burglars that the house is empty. 

Where possible, leave lights on or set to a timer to give the impression that the house is occupied to any potential burglars and squatters. 

Some of the most effective deterrents for burglars can be alarms, security cameras and security lighting. Some security lighting that’s attached to motion detectors can also alert neighbours if an intruder is on the property. According to the viral TikTok video [2], holiday homeowners should consider making their security systems as discrete as possible to avoid attraction from burglars. 

Make sure your insurance policy is up to date and your coverage includes potential risks such as theft and vandalism to help give you peace of mind if the unthinkable happens. The type of policy you will need is determined by your individual risks and depends on location, size of your property, contents and other factors. Working with a broker can help ensure that you have the insurance cover that suits your needs.

Derek Henry, Managing Director of holiday home insurance specialist at Intasure comments: 

“Owning a holiday home offers owners a chance to unwind and relax. But ensuring it is secure while you’re away is paramount. Holiday homes are often at a higher risk of theft because they are regularly left empty for months at a time. These simple tips can help holiday homeowners ensure they are safeguarding their property and its contents while they’re not there. 

Our overseas holiday home insurance policy helps ensure that you are covered for physical loss and attempted theft of your building and its contents. You should consider taking out appropriate insurance to help protect your holiday home. When it comes to leaving a property unoccupied, holiday home insurance typically covers an unoccupied property for a longer period compared to a standard home insurance policy.  

“A benefit of taking out a holiday home insurance policy with Intasure is that you’ll be able to deal with an English-speaking support team to help you find the information you need. Intasure holiday home insurance covers over 20 countries and territories across the EU and beyond”.