Reason you should never put up a 'Beware of the Dog' sign outside your home
Homeowners have been warned against displaying a "Beware of the Dog!" sign on their homes.
This sign is a common sight outside homes and is often used to warn people of a boisterous pet in the home. However, some Brits use this as a deterrent for burglars and this simple sign could actually be a detriment rather than a benefit warns insurance firm LV.
Sarah Smith, head of underwriting at LV says having this sign displayed signals to passers-by that you have a guard dog - which could mean you have valuables in your home worthy of stealing. More importantly, it could also give the impression that you rely on your pet rather than an alarm system.
If you have a pet moving around your home during the day, you often cannot have an alarm system in place as they would set it off. This means that burglars could enter your home without triggering any devices. LV says joining your local neighbourhood watch can be far more off putting to burglars who don't know who’s watching.
Sarah explained: "If you think a sign saying “Beware of the dog” will ward off burglars, you could be sadly mistaken. It signals there is an animal in the property and that it is moving around. This means there could be an opportunity to enter the property without triggering a possible sensor alarm."
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If your home is burgled, you will likely need to claim on your home insurance - which is what it is there for yes - however, it does have its downsides. You will have to pay a fixed excess towards your claim and you'll also lose your no claims discount. Alongside this, your premium will also likely increase when you renew if you have a history of claims.
Which? reports that your insurance premium can rise by more than 50% if you have experienced a burglary. Also, if you try and switch to another insurer for a better deal, the new firm will ask you to declare any recent claims you’ve made and according to the consumer group, a single claim might add £150 to a typical £300 annual insurance cover.
According to both London's Metropolitan Police and a Which? survey of ex-burglars, you're less likely to become a victim of burglary if you have a well-fitted and well-maintained burglar alarm system. However, before buying one you should shop around to find the best one for you - you can also buy alarms which work with pets in your home.
How to cut the cost of insurance
Home insurance covers you if something bad happens, such as a fire, storm damage or burglary. But what you are covered by depends on the type of policy you take out. There are three main types of home insurance and these are:
- Building insurance - this covers you if something physically happens to the home and will usually cover the cost to rebuild, repair or replace things like your roof, walls, windows, doors or fitted bathrooms and kitchens
- Contents insurance - this covers the possessions in your home such as TV's, ovens, laptops, fridge etc
- Combined buildings and contents insurance - this covers both your physical home and your possessions
Martin Lewis' MoneySavingExpert website says you should look to renew your home insurance 21 days before it is due to expire as this is where the best deals are usually offered.
When getting or renewing your home insurance, you should always look to shop around to find the best deal. Often, if you combine your policies it can work out cheaper. Another way you could make your insurance premium cheaper is by paying annually rather than monthly. Although it is a much bigger upfront payment, it will work out cheaper overall.
You should also consider your policy as there are several extras you can add to your policy that will increase the cost, but you may not really need them. Finally, you should not forget your "no-claims" bonus, if you go one year without claiming with a no-claims bonus you cut your insurance by 10% rising to as much as 50% if you have five years or more without a claim according to GoCompare.com.
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