Travellers have been warned to be careful about posting photos of their trip on social media as it could leave their homes open for burglary – and it could jeopardize their insurance policy.
The local police have issued a new warning to visitors to be careful before sending details of any trips, as it may leave them unable to search if they have been burglarized.
When you share pictures of yourself online, you let hackers know that your property is empty, making it easier for them to gain access and jeopardises your home insurance policy.
And home insurance providers often have homeowners take better care of their property.
Failing to do so, and you may find your insurance company frustrated by any claim you have made, which may reduce payments or even no payment at all, according to the MoneySuperMarket comparison site.
This follows a warning by the Complaints Financial Ombudsman Service back in 2015 that insurers could check the accounting accounts of policymakers.
It means at the moment that people posting photos of their travels or talking about dates who will not be on social media are likely to have their burglary claims thrown out – although it has not yet provided an updated guide to this at the time of publication.
Home insurers often tell you that they would not reject a home insurance claim because the customer had submitted that they were on vacation.
To be on the safe side, it is advisable to adhere to social media posts or at least follow the tips in the box above to ensure only people you know can see your information online.
Is there a connection between holiday shopping and hacking?
Apparently so. According to a survey by Admiral’s insurers, one in 20 burglaries reported in their claims group occurred while the homeowner was on vacation, and another study by an internal company, Hillarys, found this year that one in 12 Britons had been robbed after posting their location overseas.
Local thieves troll social media in search of interesting info about homeowners, like their whereabouts and possible dates where you are on holiday. This is a newish phenomenon that is growing a lot more in the last 5 years. For a burglar the information that your house is going to be free and available to be raided is like Christmas; therefore for a professional burglar, posting your photos of you sunning it up in Mallorca is like receiving a personal invitation.
Sometimes it doesn’t even need to be a professional; an acquaintance’s brother, cousin or friend could be the culprit of such horrible action; so be mindful of what you post and when you post it.
How can insurers do that?
Insurance providers use an existing clause in many policies that require customers to take “proper care” to keep their assets safe.
Some insurers may judge customers for failing to take such precautionary measures by sending holiday photos and thus violating their policy.
Also, it would be a great idea to have a burglar alarm too; for that extra peace of mind.
It’s amazing that such an ordinary mistake could cost you so much. Not only could posting a photo online show a thief your home is clear to steal from, but your home insurance policy could be null and void. Take these simple tips into account when you are on holiday to keep your possessions and home insurance safe until you get home. It would be a very sad day if after being burgled your home insurance refuses the claim.
