| You come home, the door is broken open, and your | | | | credit card or cheque book that might have been |
| belongings have been rifled through, harshly. There's | | | | stolen, and inform the credit card companies, cancel |
| the sense of terrible violation, the feeling that whoever | | | | the cards and report them stolen immediately. |
| did this could come back at any time, and the trauma | | | | Likewise, look for things like passports and identification |
| of a shattered home awaits, along with picking up the | | | | information, the registration papers for your cars - |
| pieces and cleaning up the mess. | | | | things that are NOT going to be obvious, but can |
| What to do next? | | | | cause you difficulties if misused. |
| First, call the police; don't even straighten up; by doing | | | | That loss list is important for when the other difficult |
| so you may disturb evidence that makes it difficult or | | | | aspect of a burglary pops up: Dealing with the claims |
| impossible to catch the people who did this. (Sadly, the | | | | adjuster. Never forget the adjuster is working for the |
| catch and incarceration rates for home burglars aren't | | | | insurance company, while the loss adjuster may be |
| terribly high, but there's no reason to make them zero). | | | | friendly and convivial, his job is to reduce the expenses |
| Don't rush to the police station - stay home and call | | | | to his employer. He will make suggestions for replacing |
| them without touching anything. They will want to take | | | | destroyed or stolen items; he will be looking for |
| photos, make sure nobody was hurt, and take | | | | excuses to not pay you at all - perhaps you were |
| fingerprints. | | | | under insured, didn't have the proscribed locks, or more. |
| After the initial inspection, the police will need some | | | | Before dealing with a loss adjuster, seriously consider |
| form of identification; they will want to identify the | | | | getting an insurance claims consultant on your side. |
| approximate time of entry (if possible) the method of | | | | You will want someone who knows the ins and outs |
| entry and survey the damage. This will be compiled | | | | of insurance regulations looking over the report of |
| into a report, and you will be asked to sign it at the | | | | what was stolen, what the initial claim was, and how to |
| time it's filled out. Read it carefully; it's the first | | | | make things work in your favour. |
| document in the chain needed to get insurance | | | | Lastly, be sure to do things to prevent thefts in the first |
| coverage and remediation for your losses. Very | | | | place; lock your doors, shut the shutters, and |
| important: At some point in the process, the officers | | | | remember thieves are opportunists. They go where |
| are going to ask for a list of what has been stolen or | | | | the valuables are easiest to get at. If it costs more |
| destroyed. Be sure to give them a list, but make sure | | | | than £150, keep the receipt (preferably in a |
| it's annotated that you are not certain that it is | | | | safety deposit box) and the serial number. This makes |
| complete; in the chaos and trauma of burglary, you will | | | | it more difficult to fence. If you have small items of |
| overlook things, and you will be finding that things were | | | | valuables (collectibles, jewellery, antiques), take digital |
| missed on that original inventory for days or weeks. | | | | pictures, put hard copies in that safe deposit box and |
| Next, make sure you can account for any kind of | | | | make sure the photos are date stamped. |