We've been burgled................ wprried about insurance

[kizzie]

About 9.15pm. DH was watching tv in room at front of house. Boys asleep upstairs.

DH thinks he heard a noise - he went upstairs to check boys ok because one of the them had toothache before they went to bed.

Back patio door was closed but not locked. They climbed over the side gate and came in- took DH wallet and car keys and took the car.

DH very angry with himself that he didnt see them and catch them. Im VERY VERY glad he didnt because who knows what would happen.

Apart from feeling sick that someone came in the house when boys asleep Im worried that there'll be a problem with insurance because door not locked (cat was still outside so DH was waiting for her to come crying at the door and then would have locked it.)

Soooooooo - it wasnt a forced entry. police and forensics have been. We've had all locks changed etc. But the car was almost new and we've have a 3 year car loan. SO we are stuffed if insurance doesnt pay out.

Anyone any experience????????

On my policy, if house if burgled when window is open, you just get charged an excess (couple of hundred?) but they do still pay out. Hopefully you should just get an excess, if anything, but I would have thought they would pay out.

But anyway you were in the house, there was no obligation for you to lock the door? House was not unattended?

So sorry to hear this, I have no experience but will bump for you.

Similar thing happened to us a couple of years ago. We went to bed leaving the back door unlocked and were burgled in the night.

We were covered because even though the door was unlocked we were in the house - so you should be fine insurancewise, although you will have to pay the excess.

How are you aside from the insurance issue?

yes - as DH was in the house Im hoping that there is no insurance 'liability.' Its terrible really that someone has actually come into our house and taken our things - but we are still umming and ahhing about how responsible we are????

Of course we arent responsible - they are just thieving, robbing bX*&$%£ (Sorry slight rant.)

It happened sunday evening (and we didnt realise till monday morning when the car was gone!!!!) so yesterday very busy reorganising locks / cancelling cards / police etc etc

Feel more shaky today. We dont have a big house but its my little sanctuary with my family and its horrible to think someone abused that. DH out at work tonight so not looking forward to that.

I know its really common though so trying (!) not to over react

It's hard not to get upset though isn't it? We were exactly the same. Don't blame yourself though, as you say, it's the theiving robbing bastards who are at fault.

It took me a while to get over it, but you will get there in the end

Hope you will be ok tonight.

Thanks Tigerfeet. Just bought myself a bar of Green and Blacks milk chocolate so hoping that will help!

I have been told not to leave my car keys near the door, however if someone was to get in I'd rather they take the car and bugger off than go through the house with us sleeping in it.

Hope you feel better soon.

I work in insurance and its unlikely your claim will be declined. You were in the house and therefore its not unusual that house doors are closed but unlocked at 9.15pm. If you had been out of the house and left it unsecure then they would have argued the claim as they would had the car been left unlocked and hot wired.

The only point they may seek clarification on is did you secure the property overnight with not noticing the keys and car had gone until the next morning.

The police report will back up your claim form re the circumstances.

A lot of cars are found, so hopefully you'll get a call to say its been discovered.

Wotszepoint, the reason for not leaving your keys by the door (or wallet/purse) is due to the increase of theives using devices like a fishing rod to steal the keys via the letterbox, catflap etc - very easily done and unlikely to wake the occupant as no actual forced entry.

Thanks Happymummy. Really Useful.
(The key for the patio door was separate to the car keys which is why DH didnt notice they were missing when he went to lock it before goingt o bed.)

I know that happymummy, but they would have to actually get in to get my things (they are left a long way in and around a corner, just pointing out if there's any thieves lurking), but thanks.

TBH I locked myself out once and called someone to help.
As I hadn't used the the lock from inside, I was surprised at how easy it was to enter fro the outside. They had a thin bit of plastic and got in in 2 seconds, no need to even look for the cat flap.