Minimising risk over the holiday season

As we enter the holiday season, many South Africans will be heading off for a well-deserved break. But, it’s also that time of the year where we need to take extra safety precautions. Here are some holiday safety tips to help ensure your clients are doing all they can to minimise risk.

Safety at home

Burglaries and damages are on the rise during the holidays. That’s why it’s important that your clients are properly covered if something goes wrong. Here are some steps they can take before they lock up and go:

• Test their house alarm, as they will not be covered if the alarm doesn’t work properly.
• Inform the security company of their trip and provide a number of a friend or family member should the alarm go off.
• Arrange for a reliable neighbour, friend or family member to check on the house regularly.
• Revaluate their valuables and belongings to ensure they have sufficient household insurance cover.
• Turn off the water supply to the house to prevent possible damage due to the bursting of a water pipe.
• Unplug electrical appliances (except the fridge) to protect them against power surges and prevent fire risks.
• Switch off all lights or just leave on a side lamp to deter opportunistic crime.
• Check all windows, bolts and security gates to ensure they are locked and secure.
• Leave curtains and blinds open to leave the impression that the house is occupied.
• Pack the car behind closed doors to avoid unwanted attention from potential criminals.
• Switch off the geyser to save electricity.

Safety on the road

We offer SOS services including roadside assistance, route assistance and home drive assistance, as part of our vehicle cover should anything happen on the road. Help your clients prepare properly by sharing these road safety tips:

• Perform a vehicle safety check. If the damage to a client’s vehicle is a result of the vehicle not being roadworthy, their claim can be rejected.
• Have the pressure, rotation and alignment on all four tyres checked by a dealership. Make sure the spare tyre is checked too.
• Check that their wiper blades are fully functional and fill up their windscreen wash.
• Make sure their vehicle’s headlights work properly and offer good visibility.
• Check oil, water and coolant levels. The hotter is gets, the faster the coolant levels drop and can lead to the car overheating. 

Safety for small businesses

Smaller businesses are often cash-intensive which makes them especially vulnerable to crime during peak holiday season. If your client is a business owner, there are some precautions they can take to ensure they are protected and prepared for any potential criminal attacks:

• Use a safe with a drop-mechanism that allows them to safely make periodic drops during the day, minimising the actual cash in their registers.
• Vary the times and days when they schedule cash-in-transit pick-ups from the premises. The same goes for when they make deposits at the bank.
• Install security cameras that are clearly visible as a deterrent.
• Install a silent alarm that can alert a security company quickly in the event of a robbery.
• Make sure they have adequate, bright lighting both outside and inside the business premises.
• Test the alarm system and battery ahead of the holiday season rush to ensure that it is in working order.
• Consider hiring night security, as criminals tend to prefer to break in to businesses at night.
• Train employees in terms of what to do and appropriate actions to take in the event of an armed robbery.
• Have an emergency number on quick dial and display a list of emergency numbers (local police station, ambulance etc.), which is visible to all staff.

Make sure your clients are covered

Get in touch with your relationship manager if you have any queries about our insurance products. For more advice tailored to intermediaries, visit our blog for useful product-related articles.