Don’t Let Thieves Ruin Your Bumper Break! Tower Urges Kiwis To Be Vigilant

Friday, 11 April 2025, 12:27 pm
Press Release: Tower

With more than one third (35%) of Kiwi set to head away on holiday throughout the next two weeks, Tower is urging people think ahead and take care protecting their homes and vehicles from theft.

Anzac Day falls on a Friday this year, creating a triple-holiday where the first long Anzac weekend since 2022, a long Easter weekend and school holidays converge.

Tower Chief Claims Officer, Steve Wilson comments: “With so many of us taking advantage of this public holiday bonanza and heading away from home, the risk of theft could be heightened. It’s important to protect yourself – after all, you never know who or what might be around the corner. We want Kiwi to enjoy this holiday, without the stress of discovering your home or car has been broken into.”

For the last two years, Tower has seen a spike in theft claims in the week following the long Easter weekend, as people returned home from the break. In 2023, contents and motor theft claims were 36% and 18% higher than average, respectively. In 2024, contents and motor theft claims were 36% and 32% higher than average.

This past summer, the school holidays also showed a spike in contents and motor theft claims, up 25% and 16% throughout January, following the Christmas break.

For the last couple of years, Anzac Day has been commemorated mid-week, and Tower hasn’t seen a spike in theft claims. However, with Anzac Day creating a long weekend this year, this trend could change so it’s important that Kiwi are not complacent, says Mr Wilson.

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“In 2024, our customers made around 1,500 contents and 1,200 vehicle claims due to theft. When your home is burgled, it can be very distressing as multiple items are usually stolen, ranging from jewellery taken from the house to fishing gear and bikes stolen from the garage.

“With a bit of forward thinking, there are some simple things you can do to help keep your homes, belongings and vehicles safe,” he says.

To help protect your home and vehicles, Tower recommends the following top five tips:

1. Be mindful of what you post online: While you might want to share your holiday photos, this is an easy way to let people know that no one is home.
2. Lock all doors and windows: Ensure your home is safe and secure before leaving and keep your bins in too, bins left out on the road can also let people know that no one is home.
3. Park cars off the street: If possible, park your vehicles in a garage, driveway or off-street to reduce the risk of theft.
4. Install security systems: Things like security cameras, alarms, and motion sensor lights help to deter thieves. Make sure your vehicle has an immobiliser; if this is not possible, a simple steering wheel lock is an effective, cost-effective thief deterrent.
5. Have a house sitter or ask a neighbour to keep an eye on your home: Ask your house sitter or neighbour to collect your mail too, if your letterbox is about to burst, this is another giveaway that no one's home.

“Our job as an insurer is to be there when the worst happens, so if you do need to make a claim please remember, we are here to help. Take care this bumper holiday period, Aotearoa,” says Wilson.

Notes:

• *Kiwi holiday data from independent research conducted by the Octopus Group in April 2025, with a sample size of 300, representative of NZ’s population.
• Vehicle theft claims are a combination of cars being damaged/broken into and stolen.
• Contents and vehicle theft claim data includes all contents and theft claims, not just theft that occurred at home.

About Tower

Born and bred in New Zealand, Tower has been supporting Kiwi when they need it most for more than 150 years. In that time, we’ve grown to operate across New Zealand and the Pacific Islands, providing our customers with cover for their houses, cars, contents, businesses and more.

While our heritage is important to us, we’ve also set our sights on the future. Tower’s focus on innovation and investment in large-scale digital transformation, has enabled the business to evolve rapidly, in-line with the latest in technology and customer expectations. The result is customer-focused, digital-first insurance solutions - combined with joining forces with like-minded partners, Tower has been able to create more, simpler products, to suit the modern lifestyles of its customers.

For more information, please visit: www.tower.co.nz/

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