All homes are possible targets for burglars; some are more attractive than others and quite a few present themselves with a bow that begs to be opened. If your property falls into the latter category then you will want to boost your security measures fast to help you beat the burglar and keep your precious possessions safe from harm/loss. Property insurance premiums increase year after year as a result of escalating insurance tax and ever increasing claim levels caused by crime/burglary; making home insurance comparison more important than ever before. Ensuring you adhere to the following top 10 tips may help to secure your residence in addition to bringing your insurance premium down.

1: Windows; most intruders will want to enter your premises from the rear and it is more than likely that they may try to force a window to acquire entry. Smashing a window will often be a last resort as this can attract unwanted attention which means you should turn your attention to visibly securing them with key operated locks.

2: Lighting; intruders don’t enjoy being in the spotlight which means you should make certain you have outside lights fitted that are powered by a sensor switch (to save electricity) which activates whenever motion is detected. Making use of timer switches is a good deterrent for any opportunist burglar should you be away for a few days.

3: Burglar Alarms; a large number of residences still do not possess a security alarm and this ought to be a fundamental security measure on every home. The alarm box will serve as a visible deterrent to some degree (fake sirens can be obtained cheaply) and you could purchase a system which simply let’s off an alarm or one that dials a preset phone number or a local security company.

4: Entry doors; It’s essential that you make sure your external doors are strong, in good condition and secured to a significant standard. Asking a locksmith London to install a five lever mortice lock or additional sliding bolts will greatly improve security and French doors – which are usually much weaker than singular doors – ought to be installed with top and bottom mortice locks for both doors.

5: Gateways & Fences; an inadequate or small boundary could make accessing the rear of your property much easier. Sturdy 6 foot fences make the job somewhat tougher and thorny bushes such as Hawthorn create a great deterrent. Gateways also need to be equally robust and secured internally with a bolt that’s out of reach as a minimum standard.

6: Spare Keys; Never conceal a spare key in a convenient location, it will likely be every bit as handy for the common burglar too and will give your house to them on a silver plate.

7: Do Not Leave Valuable items in Sight; Fitting window blinds or net curtains will help make it much harder to see within your premises. You may well be pleased with your 42 inch HDTV but do you want to advertise it to an opportunist burglar?

8: Buy a Safe; if you have extremely treasured items such as jewelry or large sums of cash in the house then its a smart idea to purchase a safe that may be secured in place in a hidden location. Passports, unused credit cards, etc should also preferably be locked away.

9: Label Your Property; to ensure if you are burgled your possessions can be identified should the authorities recover them. This can be achieved by etching your zip code, surname and property number/name onto the object, or, where this is not practical, using an ultraviolet marker.

10: Do Not Publicise Your Absence; lots of people now use social networking websites such as Facebook to inform everyone about their daily exploits. Do not unwittingly provide details of when you are going on vacation by mentioning dates, etc.