Burglars are becoming more and more discreet. They take care not to leave any traces, and are generally not spotted by neighbors. A so-called “umbrella” technique makes reimbursement by insurance companies difficult.
In France, in 2022, the police and national gendarmerie services recorded 211,400 burglaries or attempts at housing, according to the latest data from INSEE. Home insurance generally covers this type of loss with the “theft and burglary” guarantee, and covers a large part of the stolen goods in the event of a break-in. But burglars are now making it difficult to get reimbursed. And for good reason: they are becoming more and more discreet. No prints are found since they always wear gloves, the surveillance videos do not always allow them to be identified when they put on a hood, but above all, they use an increasingly widespread technique, which poses a problem for the victims. .
What is the umbrella technique? This method aims above all to not leave visible marks on the door. To do this, the thugs use thin steel strips to pick the door and break into people’s homes without forcing the lock or breaking the front door. Once they leave, they close the door gently, without anyone noticing that a burglary has occurred. Victims of this theft only realize it once they enter the apartment or house, but very often, they struggle to get reimbursed by insurance. “My insurance did not cover reimbursement since there was no proof of the break-in. I really struggled to prove that it was indeed a theft.”Martine tells us, victim of a discreet burglary in 2022.
Indeed, according to the insurance contract, coverage for such a claim is based on a theft with break-in or attempted break-in. “According to article 132-73 of the Penal Code, break-in is characterized by the forcing, degradation or voluntary destruction by a third party of any closing device or any type of fence” reminds Generali insurance. So check the general conditions of your insurance contract to find out if you are covered, including during a theft without burglary, which can also concern violence against the person, intrusions by climbing, the use of false keys or even clandestine intrusion (a person pretending to be a false police officer or a false firefighter for example).
It is therefore necessary to prove, after filing a complaint with the police station within 24 hours, that it is indeed a burglary. To be able to be properly compensated and protect yourself from such a situation, it is recommended to install a reinforced door, a multi-point system or cylinder lock, which makes access more difficult with these discreet methods. An alarm or video surveillance system also helps deter thieves, while obtaining proof of intrusion. “If the context of your burglary does not appear in the list of your contract, you nevertheless have a chance of being compensated by proving the intrusion (video surveillance, footprints, fingerprints)” explains the insurance.