Help !!!! home content insurance-burglary with bump key

saneidiot

Hi
I got home last Friday at 5pm to find my house had been robbed.
They had stole some valuables from the upstairs bedroom and leave the downstairs untouched!!!

However, all doors were still locked(except the front door is shut instead of lock, which I locked it before I left the house), all windows were still shut except one upstairs open(which I closed before I left my home)and there were no visible signs of forced entry.

I'm convinced when i left the house in the morning everything was still locked!

So how could they get in my house?
This is not a scam, and the police think i'm genuine, some prints are obtained and an empty wallet found under bridge about half mile away. Police thought it may be a bump key case.

Where do you think this leaves me from a home insurance point of view? Can I get claim for the content insurance for it? My insurance policy state that theft under no force or violent entry are not covered.

Please help me with this!!

Marktheshark

Rental or owner and how long you lived there and ever changed the locks ?

dacouch

Roughly how much in value was stolen?

Was there are money stolen and if so how much was in the wallet?

saneidiot

many thanks, I bought this house about one year ago. The stolen item including cash roughly about £14000. The neighours have reported police some guys were gathered in front of my house about 2pm last Friday

saneidiot

I didn't change the lock since we bought the house. The previous owner is an old couple.

dacouch

How much cash was stolen and how much was in the wallet?

How much are your contents insured for?

saneidiot

The total cash is about £500. The cash in the wallet about £200. The content insure is up to £50000 with cash claim limit £150. Will the insure refuse the claim based on the no force or voilent entry?

dacouch

Bumping a lock is using force so would generally be covered by the policy unless they have any of wording eg that you need a mortice deadlock.

It's likely your Insurers will decline the claim and for you to need to chase them.

I hope you've changed the lock now and hopefully fitted any anti bump lock.

I strongly recommend you retain the old lock as if it's been bumped it will normally have small tell tell signs inside the lock of the bumping. It may be the case that you may need to commission an expert to confirm it's been bumped.

When you move house next, make sure you change the locks!

The Insurers are likely to question why a wallet was in the house and not in the owners back pocket.

Insurers tend to have an inner limit on the total amount of "Valuables" they cover, which Insurer are you with?

It's really important that when you deal with your Insurer that at all times you tell the truth. They have ways of detecting lies and it can cause problems if they catch you out.

I would suggest that you collate any details of other thefts involving bumping locks in your area as this may help your case.

If you speak to your local police station they normally have an officer who will come out and give you free crime prevention advice

Marktheshark

The problem is the Insurers are going to want to know why you still have the Old locks that could have missing keys.
It is far more plausible a Grandson or someone is walking around with a key that fits the door than a lock bumper rolled up.
Opportunity presents itself to theives.
Change all locks now, if they are Euro Cylinders buy Avocet mkiii cylinders.