Ho Ho Home invasion: 1.9 million front doors will be left unlocked this holiday season

• • • • 19% of Australians don't lock their doors
      • 231,000 home break-ins occurred nationally in 2019
      • How to protect your home against theft

23 December 2020, Sydney, Australia – Millions of Australians are leaving themselves vulnerable to theft this Christmas, according to new research by Finder, Australia's most visited comparison site.

A new nationally representative Finder survey of 1,004 participants has revealed around 1 in 5 Australians (19%) don't lock their doors, leaving 1.9 million unlocked front doors across the country.

More than 2 in 5 (41%) people are living without home insurance, and nearly the same proportion (38%) don't have contents insurance.

A Finder analysis of ABS data found that 2.4% of households – approximately 231,000 homes – were broken into in 2019.

The analysis also revealed that 73% of these break-ins resulted in theft, while 49% resulted in property damage.

Taylor Blackburn, insurance specialist at Finder, urged Aussies to take proper home security precautions this summer

"The financial consequences of a break-in can be devastating, and without adequate protection, your home and valued possessions are at risk.

"Locking your front door really is the quickest way to fend off criminals, while those who live in areas with higher crime rates should consider an alarm or video monitoring system.

"Not only will this help deter thieves, but it can also help lower your insurance premiums," Blackburn said.

Younger generations are far more trusting than older Australians, with one in four (26%) Gen Z failing to lock their doors, compared with just one in ten (11%) Baby Boomers.

Blackburn said that home and contents insurance is a good way for Aussies to arm themselves against theft.

"Unfortunately, no insurance policy in the world can prevent someone from breaking into your home.

"But if you do fall victim to a burglary, home and contents insurance will generally cover you for any financial loss incurred as a result.

"When choosing a policy, it's important to find one that best suits your current situation.

"Factors like your level of cover, the age, build and location of your home will all impact the price of your premium, so compare your options and find the best deal for you," he said.

You can compare home and contents insurance for free at Finder: https://www.finder.com.au/home-insurance/home-and-contents-insurance

What home protection do you have/ use?

Source: Finder, December survey 2020

Methodology

• This study was designed by Finder and conducted by Qualtrics, a SAP company.

• The online Finder survey was conducted using a nationally representative survey sample of 1,004 Australians aged 18 and above.

• Extrapolated household calculations based on ABS Census statistics.

• Break-in statistics obtained from ABS Crime Victimisation data 2020.

How to increase your home security:

• Lock windows and doors. This is especially important at night and when you go out. If you want to keep your home ventilated, make sure to lock windows open by no more than an inch or so, or only open windows that are inaccessible from outside.
• Get to know your neighbours. They can collect your mail and keep an eye on things and if you go away over the holidays – and vice versa. Make sure to give them your phone number so you're easily contactable while you're away.
• Install automatic lights. Smart lighting systems can be programmed to turn on at a certain time each night which can help to give the illusion that someone is home at all times.