More advice on staying secure this holiday:

Gari Dombo, Managing Director at Alexander Forbes Insurance says, "If you want an undisturbed holiday with your family, secure your home and make sure that there are no gaps in your insurance cover".

Nothing spoils a holiday more than finding out that your home has been broken in to or a leaking roof has damaged your possessions. Even worse is discovering, too late, that your insurance company won?t pay because you are not correctly insured.

In short, "?there is quite a bit that you need to think about, and do, if you are to enjoy your well-earned break without aggravation," says Dombo.

To avoid nasty disturbances at home while on holiday, Dombo provides the following tips:

  • Ensure that all the security arrangements required by your insurer are installed at your home (e.g. alarm, armed response, security doors, etc).

  • Check that your house alarm is in working condition.

  • Valuables (such as jewellery) left at home should be stored in a safe or deposited in a bank vault.

  • Inform family, friends or a trustworthy neighbour of your holiday plans. Request that they switch on lights, cut the lawn, feed pets and remove the newspaper from the driveway.

  • If you do not have a person staying on the premises it is often a good idea to: empty the fridge and freezer, check the geyser for leaks, ensure that plugs are not left in sinks with leaking taps and switch off geysers and stoves at the main distribution box.

  • Make sure all gutters and drains are clear. Blocked drains often lead to leaking roofs causing damage to the interior of your house while you are away.

  • Ensure that all the possessions in your home are correctly insured, taking into account additional purchases that have been made during the year.

  • Make sure any vehicles left on the property are locked up in a secured garage. Removing the battery, wheels or distributor is also an effective deterrent against theft.

Article continues on page two: the value of All Risks cover