This list is a self-check, not a list of insurer requirements: security expectations for burglary protection vary by insurer, by policy wording and by sum insured, so you won't find a categorical rule here. What you will find: the points that a large share of burglaries actually turn on – locks, keys, habits and the signs you give off without meaning to – plus one piece of advice: look up the security chapter in your own policy wording too.
- Security expectations typically depend on the sum insured and the policy wording – your own policy always sets the exact rule; this list is the common-sense level.
- The weakest point is rarely the lock, more often the habit: a spare key under the doormat, a holiday post shared in real time.
- For high-value items, how you store them matters too – limits and expectations.
Doors, windows, locks
Start at the front door – not because that's always where an intruder comes in, but because policy wordings' security expectations typically focus most on this point too:
- Front door and frame: is the door leaf solid, the frame sturdy, the lock working perfectly? For a higher contents sum insured, policy wordings typically expect a defined lock standard – the security chapter tells you what yours requires.
- Using the lock: even a good lock only protects when it's locked – turn the key even for a short trip out or time in the garden, because for burglary claims policy wordings typically also look at whether the door was locked.
- Windows and the balcony door: do they close properly? Extra attention on the ground floor and for an easily reached balcony – a window left on the tilt setting is typically no obstacle for an intruder, and it raises questions at a claim too.
Keys and key habits
The second round isn't a money question, it's an attention question:
- Spare key: the doormat, a flowerpot, the meter box – these are the first places anyone looks. Keep a spare key with someone you trust, not hidden around the house.
- Who has ever had a key? A cleaner, a tradesperson, a previous tenant – if you can't list them all with confidence, changing the locks after a move or a change of tenant is cheap peace of mind.
- Lost key: change the lock, don't just hope for the best – how a theft committed with a key is assessed can depend on the policy wording, and the dispute is avoidable.
Absence, and the signs you give off
A large share of burglaries turn not on breaking a lock but on reading signs – the signs of an empty home:
- Post and flyers: an overflowing letterbox is the loudest “nobody's home” sign – ask a neighbour to clear it.
- Social media: holiday photos can wait until you're back – real-time location sharing on a public profile is a risk.
- Signs of life: a timed light, blinds that change position, a neighbour who looks in from time to time – for an extended absence, the policy side may carry its own rules too: an empty home.
Technology, valuables – and what the policy wording says
The final round is about technology and paperwork – this is where everyday caution meets the letter of the policy:
- Alarm, camera – if you have one: does it work, is it maintained, does its alert actually reach someone? A system that's installed but switched off raises awkward questions at a claim.
- Storing valuables: keep jewellery, cash and documents out of sight – for larger values a safe is worth considering, and some policy wordings typically expect one above a defined amount.
- Read your policy wording's security chapter: that's where you'll find which protection level carries which payout ceiling – the background is in the burglary article, and for everyday prevention: loss prevention at home. If you're unsure what your own policy expects, let's take a look together.
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