Over 200 000 house burglaries were recorded in South Africa 2016 and 2017, according to a report by Africa Check. That’s an average of about 675 homes burgled a day!
Nobody wants to think of their home being broken into. But unfortunately, it can happen at any time and usually when you least expect it. And if you do become a victim of crime, there’s only one thing that makes you feel better – having home insurance.
Why is home insurance so important?
If your home and its valuables are damaged or stolen, having home insurance means that you will either be able to replace or have those items repaired. This is particularly helpful at a time when you are probably not in a position where you can afford to replace those items yourself.
When claiming from insurance, things can get messy – especially when you have those “…but, I thought the policy covered those items” conversations with your insurer. Don’t worry though, if you’ve taken care of the following, your claims process should be a breeze:
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Secure the contents of your home
Certain policies, for instance, may cover your stove but not your kettle. So, to avoid those awkward calls with your insurer, choose a policy that covers your smaller items too. Think about your laptop that’s too expensive to buy cash, prescription glasses you may have waited a long time to get, or your special jewellery that may have set you back a bit after buying it (but it was so worth it!). What would happen if any of these valuables were destroyed or stolen? Before applying for an online insurance quote, see which policy will be most beneficial to you. All Risk Insurance is ideal to cover smaller items that you generally take out of your home (like watches, sunglasses, cell phones, etc.).
Keep the receipts
Store all the receipts of your purchases as this will simplify the claims process. Open a spreadsheet and add all your insured items with the date of purchase and their respective serial numbers. Make sure you keep this document safe – email it to yourself or store it “on the cloud” to have it on record. Remember, the more evidence you have to support your claim, the better your chance of being reimbursed.
File a police report
In the event that you need to claim, a police report has to be filed in order for an insurer to process your claim. At the scene of the crime, try not to touch anything until the report has been filed. Tampering with the evidence that should be used to support your claim could have dire consequences.
Don’t waste time
You usually have 30 days to lodge a claim. After filing your report, contact your insurer immediately. This not only speeds up the process but it can also prevent your claim from being rejected.
Making a claim on your home insurance shouldn’t be difficult. As long as you’ve read the terms and conditions and have policies like home and car insurance from a reputable company, the entire process should be easy-peasy.
