While you may call your apartment home, many complexes aren’t built as well as many houses. This lack of security sometimes attracts thieves, so it’s important to understand how to make your apartment as safe as possible so it becomes less of a target for theft. Start with the following tips.
- Always lock the doors and windows when you leave or go to sleep. If you have a security alarm, remember to set it. The best security companies will alert the police if the alarm is triggered.
- Install a deadbolt on all exterior doors (with the permission of management) and place a wooden rod in the track of any sliding glass doors to add extra protection to entry points.
- Buy a few timers so you can set your lights and a radio to turn on and off periodically throughout the day to trick thieves into thinking someone’s home.
- If you live close to work, pop by your apartment over lunch on random days to check on things. (Bonus: your pet will love the additional company.)
- Before leaving town, ask your complex’s courtesy officer to check on your unit while you’re away.
- If you’re getting ready to move, consider a unit on a higher level. Thieves often target first-story units because it’s more difficult to carry items downstairs without being seen.
- Take a home inventory to document your valued possessions. In the event of a theft, this list will help you file a renters insurance claim and get reimbursed for items that were stolen or damaged.
We’ve got you covered. Call Ed Weeren Insurance Agency at (512) 454-5266 for more information on Austin renters insurance.