Important Steps To Take After A Home Break-In
Home break-ins are a widespread problem globally; regardless of how safe the area is where you live, you are still at risk of a burglary. At the same time, several factors determine how secure your property is; the best way to reduce your risk of experiencing a break-in is to install security for your home.
What’s more, instead of only considering the traditional alarm systems, you could install smart home technologies to heighten your safety. With that said, if you have experienced a break-in, here’s what you should do.
Contact The Authorities
The first vital step is to contact your local police department to report the break-in. The authorities will usually arrive at your home to assess the scene, detail a report, sweep the property for any evidence to determine who the criminals are, where they entered the property, and where they exited.
The police report is crucial for your insurance claim, although it is also vital to find the criminals. While you are waiting for the authorities to arrive, it is important to avoid tampering with any potential evidence. So don’t touch anything or start cleaning until the police have left your home.
Review Your Security Footage
Next, you should assess your home security footage. You can create a copy of the footage and hand it to the police to assist in finding the burglar that illegally entered your property. Be sure to make copies of the footage, as you may need to provide your insurance company with footage to strengthen your claim.
Determine Your Damages
Before you contact your insurance company, you must determine what has been stolen and what items were damaged during the intrusion. Perhaps the burglars broke windows while entering and exiting the property, damaged locks, or damaged other possessions while inside your home. You will need to determine all your damages to detail an accurate claim with your insurance company.
Contact Your Insurance Company
Once you know what has been damaged and what has been stolen, you should contact your home insurer. The more evidence you provide your insurer, the stronger your claim will be. So be sure to give your insurer a detailed list of damages and the video footage of the break-in, and the detailed police report of the incident.
Because insurance companies generally attempt to pay out as little as possible, you may need to contact a lawyer to assist with your claim process and ensure you are compensated fairly for your damages. However, it is not always necessary to consult a lawyer if you have video footage and a police report of the break-in.
Consider Adding Additional Security Features To Your Home
If your home has been broken into by criminals, your first concern is that your current security system has failed you. Instead of overlooking the problem, you should add additional features to your system to prevent the traumatic experience from reoccurring.
You can install a vault to keep sentimental items safe and install smart home technologies such as controlled sensors, automatic lighting, smart door locks, and security cameras.