How does a break-in affect home insurance?

If your home’s suffered a break-in the fallout can be upsetting to say the least. It’s not just the thought of someone rifling through your belongings, there’s the financial loss to consider too. We take a look at what to do immediately after a break-in and what the consequences are for your home contents insurance.

What should I do if my home’s been burgled?

The first priority is to call the police as you’ll need a crime reference number. If the burglary has already taken place and there is no immediate danger to you or anyone else, you should dial the non-emergency number 101 instead of 999.

The next call should be to your home insurance provider. In most instances, they’ll ask you to document as much as possible with photos and video footage. If you can, try to list the items that were stolen. If you’ve got receipts or any other evidence that show items belong to you, you should gather these too – especially if they’re particularly expensive.

The more you can detail and the more evidence you can provide the smoother the claims process is likely to be.

Will my home insurance premium increase after a burglary?

The short answer is yes, your home insurance premium is more than likely to increase after you’ve made a claim. This is because insurers base your premium on risk profiles and as far as insurers are concerned, if you’ve made a claim for a burglary, you’re more likely to make another compared to someone who hasn’t. This can be particularly so if you live in an area with a higher-than-average crime rate.

It's worth pointing out that a break-in is generally going to have a bigger impact on your premium compared to one-off incidents like a damaged window or fence. Similarly, if a claim is for something that has a good chance of happening again (like a flood), this can also significantly increase your premium at renewal.

Do I have to tell my insurer about a burglary?

Yes, if you’ve been burgled and have made a claim, you must tell the insurer when you come to renew. Claiming on your policy will also be documented in a database called CUE (Claims and Underwriting Exchange) and will stay on your record for six years.

Not telling an insurer can be considered non-disclosure, especially if you’re directly asked about any previous incidents. If this happens and it comes to light that you’ve failed to mention a previous claim, your insurer can void your policy altogether. That means you won’t receive any compensation for stolen items. Non-disclosure can also mean you struggle to find home insurance in the future.

Is it worth making a home insurance claim after a burglary?

This really depends on what you want (or need) to claim for. You’ll need to weigh up your excess, the value of your claim, and the overall effect on your future premiums. For example, if an opportunistic thief breaks a window but leaves with nothing of real value, think about how much it would cost to repair the window yourself. If a broken pane costs £100 to fix but your excess is £75, is a £25 payout really worth making a claim for?

Of course, if you had expensive laptops, smartphones and jewellery stolen, claiming on your home insurance may be the only way you can realistically afford to replace those items.

Does my home insurance cover my home while I’m away?

If you’re just away overnight or on holiday for a couple of weeks, your home insurance should still cover you for any break-ins, so long as you’ve taken reasonable steps to keep your home safe while you’re away. For example, making sure doors and windows are locked. You should also try not to draw attention to the fact you’re away – so it’s a good idea to hold off posting holiday snaps on your social media while the house is empty.

However, if your home is going to be empty for a long period of time, you may need unoccupied home insurance. This is another type of insurance product that’s suitable for longer absences of more than 30 days (but check any time limits set out by your insurer).

Remember that all insurers have their own terms and conditions, so it’s always worth reviewing your own policy to see what your provider says about empty houses.

Will I get new items if I make a home insurance claim?

If you have a new for old home insurance policy, you’ll be able to replace damaged or stolen items with brand new like for like replacements (where possible).

If your policy doesn’t specify new for old, then you’re likely to have an indemnity policy (or wear and tear policy). This means you’ll be compensated with the current value of your stolen items. So, if your two-year old laptop was stolen, you’d receive the amount it’s worth now rather than the amount you paid for it.

Unsurprisingly, new for old policies do cost a little more but they can represent better value for money if you make a claim.

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Home insurance can give you reassuring peace of mind, knowing that there’s a safety net if something goes wrong. But choosing a policy shouldn’t be about choosing between cost and levels of cover. That’s why we’ve joined forces with Quotezone, to bring you a variety of quotes from leading insurers at a range of prices to suit different budgets. To start your quote, simply answer a few questions and leave the rest to us.