Stay Safe

Although it may feel like you have no chance against natural disasters or criminal acts, there are a number of things you can do to minimise your risk of falling victim to these negative events. We have compiled a few safety hints and tips to help you make sure your home, business, motor vehicle and other valued items are as secure as possible.

Ensure that you and your vehicle are safe

• Double check that your vehicle is locked by testing the doors after pressing the immobiliser button.
• Make sure you test all immobiliser devices and security systems at regular intervals. If there are any faults, an authorised service provider should be contacted to fix or replace the faulty system with a recommended device.
• Personal items such as sunglasses, cell phones and even groceries should not be visible in the vehicle and should rather be stored in a locked boot, thereby reducing the temptation to steal. Some insurance policies specify that items need to be locked in the boot when unattended, so train yourself and your family to do so on a permanent basis.
• We provide optional cover for claims on stolen groceries and household goods from cars. The car however needs to have been locked at the time of the theft.

Safe driving tips

• Plan your trips in advance. This allows you time to decide which roads to use and can help you avoid poor weather and high accident zones.
• Have your car serviced by a qualified service mechanic.
• Make sure your windscreen is undamaged; this includes cracks that can obstruct your view.
• Check to make sure your wiper blades are fully functional. If worn out, replace them before you travel.
• Check the quality of your tyres. Worn out tyre treads can reduce braking time; especially on a wet surface.
• Make sure your headlights work properly and offer good visibility. 

Prevent or limit hail damage on the road:

• Vehicle owners should follow weather reports closely during summer to lessen the risk of being caught in a hailstorm while driving - in severe cases hail can be 20cm deep.
• If a hailstorm starts while driving, the first thing to do is to find a shelter such as petrol station, shopping mall parking or even a bridge.
• If there is no shelter nearby, pull over to a safe area because hail will cause more damage to a moving vehicle.
• If parked in the driveway, or if there is no parking garage, vehicle owners should layer their vehicles with thick blankets to minimise the impact of hailstones, these can be bought cheaply and left in the boot of the vehicle.

Minimise the effect of hail damage at home

• It's important to clear gutters of leaves, twigs and any other debris regularly. Hail takes a while to melt and an overflowing gutter could lead to a leaking roof and further damage.
• When fitting gutters, quality matters. Better quality gutters are able to withstand increased water flow during rainfall and hailstorms.
• When building, it's sensible to opt for impact resistant roofing as it will prevent any serious damage to the roof structure

Make sure your business premises are secure when you close shop for a holiday break

• Make sure the alarm is working properly.
• Park the fleet in a secure place under lock and key and preferably under security guard protection, too.
• Do a quick check of electrical equipment to make sure there are no potential fire-causing bad connections.
• Pack all valuable goods away in a storeroom where curious passersby cannot see them.
• Make sure anyone who has access to your premises knows how to use the alarm and has a comprehensive list of emergency contact numbers.
• Do not rely on the CCTV system. Hire a security company, too, to keep an eye on your business whilst it's locked up for the holidays.
• Go over your insurance policies or contact your broker to verify the terms of your policy to make sure everything's up to date and that you're not under- or over-insured.
• Make sure there are at least two people back home that you can contact in case of emergency and who can contact you easily and quickly, too.

Keep hearth and home safe while you're on holiday

• Don't tell the world (on Facebook or Twitter) when you're going away and how long you'll be gone for. It's not only your friends who may be interested in this information.
• Leave a spare set of house keys with someone you trust. Don't leave the spare keys outside under a flowerpot or in the post box. Also give this person a copy of your flight tickets, passports, contact numbers, itinerary, travel insurance documents, travellers cheques and ID books.
• Except for the fridge and freezer, unplug all electrical appliances to prevent the possibility of fire. Turning your geyser off will save you money on the electricity bill.
• Talking of the geyser, if it's older than three years, get a plumber to check it out for you. If it floods while you're away, it will incur thousands of rands of damage.
• Consider installing a timer if you can't find someone to come in and switch your lights off in the mornings and on in the evenings. This will give people the impression of someone being home.
• Review the terms of your household insurance to make sure you are fully covered in the event of a burglary or an accident that may cause damage.
• Contact your post office to arrange for your mail to be held while you are on holiday.
• Practice common sense while on holiday. Don't carry large sums of cash on you; safely secure valuables such as cameras and laptop computers when you're not using them; don't be cavalier with money and jewellery and be sensible when using ATMs in unfamiliar places. It's also a good idea to find out where the closest police station is when you check into your holiday accommodation.

Reduce your risk of identity theft

• Never give out your personal bank PIN numbers to anyone or allow anyone to peep over your shoulder at the ATM;
• Before throwing away any financial statements, be sure to shred these first;
• Make copies of your driver's licence, ID books, passports and all cards in your wallet, and ensure that you have copies of these saved in a safe place;
• Never shop online on unprotected websites, always make sure there is a lock symbol on the site;
• Check your bank and credit card statements regularly for strange or unusual transactions and keep your statements safe;
• Never give your credit card or personal information over the phone unless you initiated the call and trust the business;
• If you are using the Internet through wireless connection specifically, ensure that you have all the approved software and safety precautions in place - check with your service provider for the best protection;
• When shopping at retailers or paying at restaurants, never let your credit card go out of sight.  Keep a close eye on the shop attendant;
• Banks and other financial institutions will never ask you for your PIN codes or sensitive information over the phone or email.  So be aware of phishing attempts and alert your bank if you receive any requests along the lines of "your account is currently suspended" or "Internet banking service upgrade" for example;
• If you suspect that you are a victim of identity theft, contact the police or the South African Fraud Prevention Service immediately to assist you.  You can also verify your ID status on the Home Affairs website to make sure you are registered as "alive" and not "deceased".  You can visit the website on www.dha.gov.za for more information.