Keep yourself & your valuables safe over holidays

"The first step to ensuring some protection against predators is to take personal responsibility for your safety. Do not assume that because you are shopping in a mall, that you, your goods, and your car are automatically safe," says Attie Blaauw, Head of Personal Lines at Santam, the largest short-term insurer in South Africa.

He adds, "It is important to keep purchased goods out of sight while you are shopping, and if you have to leave gifts and purchases in your car, make sure you observe who is around you. If you are concerned that you are being watched, alert the security staff available."

Car safety

An alarming rise in car-jamming incidents over the past few months, signals a caution to policyholders to take greater care as they park their cars and walk away, as their claims could get repudiated if the car was not locked.

Car-jamming takes place when someone disrupts the signal from a car remote which stops the car from being locked and involves blocking car remotes using a household remote because both remotes operate on the same frequency.

Remember to double-check that your vehicle is locked properly when parking at the shopping mall, even after you have pressed the immobiliser button. Keep the items left in your car out of sight or locked in the boot.

Santam provides optional cover for claims on stolen groceries and household goods from cars. The car, however, needs to have been locked at the time of the theft.

Rewarding yourself- look after your hard-earned gifts

Christmas purchases are often "big ticket" items that people have been saving for during the year, making it sensible to ensure that they are immediately insured, at the point of purchase or immediately upon returning home, if the item is to be insured on an existing policy.

"We find that many clients prefer to add their expensive items to an existing policy, but during the festive season, they don't always get around to doing it, leaving them vulnerable to loss as insurers may not pay out a claim if these items got lost or destroyed, because they are not covered" adds Blaauw.

To this end, Santam provides an additional 10% increase in house contents cover over the festive season (15 December to 31 January) annually for its policyholder at no additional cost to their normal premium.

Nobody at home

Some thieves take advantage of the fact that many families go out shopping together, leaving their homes empty for hours, and therefore vulnerable to burglars.

"Important as it is to ensure you take measures to protect yourself and your goods while out shopping, it is also imperative that you remember to secure your property" says Blaauw.

"You can take simple yet effective steps to ensure your property remains safe. For instance, alert your neighbours and security patrols, ensure your alarm system is working and install burglar bars. Most importantly, make sure your insurance policy is up to date and that your cover is adequate and appropriate. There is nothing worse than discovering that you have insufficient cover when you face a loss," he adds.

Making sure you are covered

Policyholders would do well to consult their intermediary to ensure they have the right policy in place, and that they are covered for all risks. Best to do so before the countdown to Christmas begins.

It can be daunting for policyholders to ensure they have the correct insurance in place, but then that's where intermediaries, with their expert knowledge of insurance can help. Give your intermediary a call and get peace of mind,"concludes Blaauw.