Home Security – Are you Doing All You Can to Protect your Family?

Protecting them from physical attacks Physical attacks can occur in the home or away from home and there are several things you can do to enhance the personal safety of family members: 1. Consider self defense courses for all family members; 2. Install a home security system that can keep unwelcome visitors out; 3. If itâ??s legal in your state, consider purchasing personal protection sprays for family members who go out at night or work in high risk areas like the city. Guarding against theft and property damage There are some simple steps you can take to protect your home and property from theft and damage. 1. A  â?? whether itâ??s a state of the art system or an inexpensive one â?? will help. If youâ??re on a budget you can consider inexpensive wireless systems or fake cameras. 2. External lighting â?? good motion detection lighting outdoor is a great deterrent. Potential intruders donâ??t want to be visible to either passers-by or the house occupants. 3. Keep any shrubs or trees near your front doors and windows trimmed â?? bushy sections might make your home feel more private but they also offer cover for burglars. 4. If youâ??re going to be away for a few days or more, ask a neighbor to clear any mail from your letterbox, put your bin out on rubbish collection day and collect any delivered newspapers. Thieves notice unoccupied homes. Financial Losses You may not think of financial loss when you think of home security but you should. Hereâ??s why: Identify theft Lack of or insufficient insurance Invest in a shredder to destroy any documents you are discarding that contain personal, credit card or banking details. Itâ??s very easy for identity thieves to rifle through rubbish bins under cover of darkness. While banks might cover your losses, it could take weeks for them to return funds to your account. Having your identity stolen can also wreak havoc with your credit rating and result in people chasing you for money for several years. Make sure you have adequate insurance on your home and its contents. Consider it part of your home security strategy. Review your policy annually and make sure you have any particularly valuable items (like special collections or jewelry) scheduled on the policy or separately insured â?? otherwise you might find theyâ??re not covered in the event of a burglary. When it comes to home insurance policies always check the exclusions and when you receive any letters from an insurer advising of changes to the policy read them carefully. Living in fear is no fun at all but ignoring potential dangers is asking for trouble. Take a common sense to home security and personal safety â?? put preventative measures in place, exercise due caution and have good insurance!