Invitation only

Be careful who you ask into your home these holidays, says AA Insurance

Auckland – 20 November 2013 – Whether you’re inviting people over for a party or to do some work around the house, it pays to be aware that if something goes missing, your insurance may not cover those stolen items.

Giving a person consent to enter your home means they are now considered a guest. This applies to others living in your household, such as family or flatmates, should they invite someone into the home.

“It’s up to you to look after, and take reasonable care of, the property you’ve insured,” says Suzanne Wolton, Head of Customer Relations, AA Insurance. “If you’re having a party and are concerned about your valuables, then take steps to keep them safe and out of view, monitor who is invited into your home, and be careful not to extend an open invitation to people whom you have not met, such as friends of friends. It also pays to check your insurance policy to ensure you understand what is, and is not, covered.”

One AA Insurance customer learnt the hard way when her teenage son invited a group of friends round for a party while she was overseas. The party soon got out of hand when the friends invited more guests by text, who the son did not know. The son had willingly allowed the guests into the home, and took no action to prevent or minimise their actions – the result was the theft of $7,800 worth of jewellery and alcohol.

Taking precautions should also apply to other situations whereby you are inviting people you don’t know into your home, such as during open homes. While real estate agents generally take care when taking people through houses for a viewing, ultimately the safety of your property is your own responsibility.

Another situation to consider is an invitation homeowners extend to contractors when they have been hired to work on a house, often unsupervised. One AA Insurance customer discovered her credit card, watch and items of clothing had been stolen by a home handyman when he was painting her bathroom. As she had employed him as a contractor, he had her permission to be on her property, so her stolen items were not covered.

Uninvited entry to your home

If you are heading away over the holidays, take measures to prevent any uninvited ‘guests’ from entering your property.

According to a recent AA Insurance home security survey that interviewed 1,500 Kiwis online, four in ten of us have experienced a break-in or burglary at some stage, with almost a quarter of break-ins happening when people were away for more than 24 hours.

The survey showed that the majority of us do make an effort to prevent break-ins when we are going away with the most common security measure asking someone to collect the mail or keep an eye on the home (79%). 

“It’s a good rule to tell your neighbours when you’re away so they can keep an eye out for people or vehicles around the property that aren’t normally there,” added Suzanne. “However, refrain from announcing that you’re on holiday on social media. Unless you have very strict privacy settings, you may inadvertently inform people you don’t know that your home will be empty.”

Parents should also keep an eye on their children’s social media activity. A third of survey respondents aged 18-24 years said they posted when they were going away on social media – almost 20% of 25-34 year olds did the same thing.

Other simple measures to protect your home include getting your lawns mowed, installing security locks on doors and windows, locking away garden equipment and wheelie bins that could help a burglar gain entry, and if you have an alarm, then use it. Despite one third of survey respondents having an alarm system, only one half of these people use them all the time. “As the saying goes, use it or lose it,” said Suzanne.

About AA Insurance

AA Insurance was launched in 1994 and is a joint venture between New Zealand Automobile Association and Vero New Zealand, which is part of the Suncorp Group.

We employ around 580 staff servicing more than 300,000 customers and manages over 500,000 policies covering motor, home and contents insurance.

AA Insurance was named as New Zealand’s best workplace at the 2011 JRA Best Workplaces Survey, winning the overall award and the large company category, and from 2008 to 2012 has consistently been a finalist. 

AA Insurance was named winner of the 2013 Canstar Blue Most Satisfied Customers for Home and Contents Insurance, and the 2012 and 2013 New Zealand Insurance Industry Awards for Direct Insurance Company of the Year.  We were also voted Most Trusted Insurer by New Zealanders in the 2011 and 2012 Insurance Providers category, and the 2013 General Insurer category of the Reader’s Digest Most Trusted Brands survey.

AA Insurance Limited has an A+ (Strong) Insurer Financial Strength Rating given by Standard and Poor’s (Australia) Pty Ltd.  For further information visit www.aainsurance.co.nz.

We are proud to support youth charity Blue Light as its principle corporate sponsor.

ENDS

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