HOLIDAYMAKERS are being warned to be careful posting pictures of their trips on social media as it could leave their homes open to being burgled – and it might even invalidate their insurance.
A local police force has issued a fresh warning to tourists to think carefully before posting details of any trips away, as it could leave them unable to claim if they’re burgled.
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Next to a picture of a holiday countdown, the North Flintshire Local Policing Team wrote on Twitter yesterday: “Did you know some companies invalidate home insurance policies if you make a social media post like this and then get burgled whilst away!
“Maybe save checking in at airports or uploading holiday snaps until you get home.”
The Sun put this to some of the UK’s major insurers and they all said that posting on social media alone wouldn’t be enough to invalidate an insurance policy.
But they warn that they expect customers to be vigilant against letting criminals know they’re not at home.
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The problem is that by sharing status updates and photos on your social media accounts you effectively let burglars know that your property is empty, making it easier for them to break in.
And home insurers often require homeowners to take “reasonable care” over their property.
Fail to do this, and you could find your insurer quibbling any claim you made, either reducing the payout or even not paying at all, according to comparison site MoneySuperMarket.
It follows a warning by complaints body the Financial Ombudsman Service back in 2015 that that insurers might check policyholders’ social media accounts.
It said at the time that people who post photos of their trip or mention the dates they will be away on social media could have their break-in claims thrown out – although it hasn’t given us any updated guidance on this at the time of publication.
How to avoid sharing too much information with crooks
AVOID an unpleasant surprise when you come home from your holiday thanks to these tips from MoneySuperMarket.
- Update your security settings: Sites such as Twitter and Facebook often change their privacy settings, so regularly check to make sure your security settings and friend lists are up-to-date
- “Cull” your friend list: Not spoken to that old school friend in over 10 years? Or have a collection of friends you’ve only met once? It’s worth considering how your personal details are exposed to your “friends” who you’d most likely not chat to if seen
- Don’t share your location: You should avoid having locational data attached to your social media posts. Tagging yourself in at home reveals where your home is located, which can be an open invitation for tech-savvy burglars.
Insurers Aviva, Axa, Ageas, Churchill, Direct Line, Lloyds Banking Group, and LV= all told us they wouldn’t decline a home insurance claim solely because a customer posted that they’re on holiday.
But they added that they expect customers to take precautions to keep their home safe.
A spokesperson for insurance trade body, the Association of British Insurers (ABI), backed up the insurers’ claims.
They told The Sun: “We’re not aware of any ABI member rejecting a burglary claim when someone is on holiday solely based on social media activity.”
To be on the safe side, it’s worth holding off on the social media posts or at least following the tips in the box above to ensure only people you know can see your details online.
In November, Compare the Market was accused of pushing up home insurance bills for millions of customers.
Home insurers are also unfairly dodging payouts to customers on clauses many aren’t even aware of, experts have warned.
Meanwhile, Martin Lewis has revealed how you could get PAID to take out home insurance.
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