AA Insurance reveals worrying trend on jewellery claims

AA Insurance has revealed poor security is a concerning trend among customers with high-value jewellery.

A recent review of AA Insurance claims data shows customers have limited and often non-existent security in place to protect expensive jewellery when it isn’t worn. This includes keeping items on top of bedroom dressers, in bedside drawers and wardrobe cupboards.

AA Insurance customer relations manager Amelia Macandrew is advising Kiwis to contact their insurers and talk about ways they can protect their jewellery.

The insurer also cited a number of jewellery theft cases. One AA Insurance customer had almost $20,000 worth of gold jewellery stolen from her jewellery box sitting on her dresser. The thief reached in through the cat door to unlock the back door; unfortunately, there was no house alarm. Another customer, whose house alarm was unmonitored, had $37,000 worth of jewellery taken, as well as a $38,000 worth of camera equipment, after thieves smashed through the glass in the door.

“Keeping your jewellery stored in obvious places makes theft so much easier and quicker for thieves, especially when an alarm sounds and they want to leave your home in a hurry,” Macandrew noted. “Most people wouldn’t leave thousands in cash on their bedside table or dresser, so why take the chance with your jewellery?”

Here are some tips, as outlined by AA Insurance, that brokers can pass to clients on keeping jewellery safe:

• Check if your insurer has an event limit for jewellery;
• Ensure you have an up-to-date New Zealand valuation of your items – this helps speed things along if you need to make a claim;
• Protect your home with alarms (especially monitored), security lights, and deadlocks on doors and windows;
• Don’t leave door keys hanging in a lock that can be reached from an open window or cat door;
• Make sure your jewellery, or the container in which it’s kept, cannot be seen from the outside of your home, or better yet, keep it well hidden;
• Don’t be tempted to keep jewellery in traditional places, such as on your bedroom dresser or in a side table drawer, as they’ll be easy for burglars to access;
• Consider using a safe, which is secured to the wall or floor, or a safety deposit box at the bank.