Irish homeowners warned over habits that void insurance including 'spare key'

Irish homeowners are being warned over a number of bad habits that could actually see a home insurance claim denied, including hiding a spare key outside.

Insurance company Quote Devil conducted research into home insurance and security measures taken by Irish homeowners.

The survey found that 29% of Irish people leave their back doors open when at home during winter, showing relaxed habits when it comes to home security. With bank holidays bringing more social gatherings and days getting warmer, it's a good time to reassess your habits, some of which could unknowingly put your home and insurance coverage at risk.

While most homeowners invest in security systems like alarms and CCTV, it’s often routine behaviours that can unknowingly invalidate home insurance policies.

The everyday habits invalidating your home insurance include leaving back doors unlocked when at home, leaving front doors unlocked when at home, leaving a spare key outside, leaving windows open all day when out of the house.

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Over a quarter of homeowners admit to leaving doors unlocked—29% at the back and 23% at the front—even though break-ins can occur while someone is home. Even more concerning, 8% leave the back door open when not home. These actions may be considered negligence by insurers, potentially invalidating claims.

Despite 64% of homes having window locks, 18% of homeowners still leave windows open when popping out, and 6% leave them open all day. This leaves homes exposed and may breach insurance terms that require all entry points to be secured when unattended.

Additionally, 11% of homeowners admit to hiding spare keys outside in common spots like under doormats or flower pots. While convenient, insurers may view this as poor security practice, increasing the risk of denied claims.

Elsewhere, the survey asked people about burglaries and security concerns. It revealed that 83% of people in Ireland have not experienced a break-in or burglary within the last five years. But, for the remaining 17%, it is a different story - these homeowners report an average of 2.2 break-ins over the last five years.

Only 7% of people report experiencing a break-in whilst they were inside their home versus 10% in empty homes, highlighting the importance of increasing security for when your home is unoccupied.

Despite a significant number of Irish homeowners expressing concerns about break-ins, more than half don’t feel that their home is adequately protected. Interestingly, for 39% of people, it would take a burglary in their neighborhood to prompt them to add more security measures to their home.

Window locks and burglar alarms are the most popular forms of home security, with over 60% of homeowners reporting that they have them installed and working. Smart technology is also gaining traction, with nearly one third (31%) considering purchasing a smart doorbell within the next six months.

In a surprising contradiction, around one in five (18%) admit to leaving their windows open when they nip out for a short period of time. However,

Conor Mulcahy, Head of Product & Renewals from Quote Devil advises against this, saying “It is essential to check your home is secure before you leave, including locking all windows and doors and not leaving a key nearby. Insurance companies may classify these habits as negligence, potentially invalidating any claims for losses and damages.”

Beyond physical measures, people are taking additional precautions to make it seem like people are home when the house is empty. Over half of homeowners leave the lights on when they go out, and rely on friends and family to check their property when they are away for extended periods of time.

Despite experiencing an average of 2.8 break-ins within five years, Cork homeowners are the least likely to consider additional security measures. A surprising 48% of the city’s residents say they haven't purchased, or considered purchasing, each of the security measures. This seeming lack of concern may partly explain the city’s high break-in rates.

Meanwhile, the most safety-conscious residents can be found in Dundalk, where almost half (45%) say they have each safety measure in place, 8% even own a guard dog! Their efforts are paying off, with some of the lowest burglary rates in the country.

Across Ireland, people are ramping up their home security efforts for winter. As many as 53% say that they would avoid leaving their homes for more than a day or two. The changes people are most likely to implement include steering clear of posting holiday plans on social media (70%), leaving more lights on (67%), and diligently checking that all doors and windows are locked (59%).

Conor Mulcahy, Head of Product & Renewals adds, “Enhancing your home security can not only lower the risk of burglary but also help you to qualify for cheaper home insurance deals. Installing burglar alarms, using key-operated locks on windows and doors, and setting up lighting times are effective ways to achieve this.”