The secret to properly protecting your valuables

While most people do take sensible measures to protect their valuables, it’s not always easy to know what else you could - or should – do, both at home and when you’re out and about.

If you’re concerned about your expensive valuables, we’ve outlined here all the key things you should do, in addition to having the right insurance, to ensure your possessions stay yours no matter where you go.

Remember Lord of the Rings

If anyone knows a thing or two about how to protect valuables, it’s Gandalf. Tongue-in-cheek, we appreciate, but his immortal words to Frodo, “Keep it secret, keep it safe” are as true for rings as they are any other valuables. Keep things out of sight – don’t advertise your valuables. This may seem to defy the point of investing in beautiful jewellery or watches, but there’s a time and a place to flash your bling, and it’s up to you to choose the appropriate places. Pragmatic thieves will take a risk only if they think the rewards will be worth it. If you have nothing on display then they are much less likely to take a gamble.

Away from home

When you’re travelling, whether on a night-out in town or on globetrotting holiday around the world, keep your valuables well-hidden. Slipping them into a handbag or pocket, where they are easy to reach but not easy to see, will quickly make sure they don’t attract any unwanted attention – but it still pays to keep an eye on them.  

If you are on a night out and wearing your valuables, be discreet and don’t drink too much. It’s a lot easier to protect valuables if you have your wits about you, so keep your eyes and ears open.

Headphones can be great for listening to a new album, but they can also mask the sound of someone approaching, so don’t use them if you think there’s a risk. The same goes for using your phone in a public place, since it can be a distraction to you as well as an attraction for criminals.

In fact, avoiding anywhere that doesn’t feel safe is probably not a bad idea if you want to protect valuables you have on you. Dark shortcuts through parks and alleyways are a no-no, as are high crime areas. Stick to safe well-lit roads, and ideally travel in a group in order to fully protect your valuables as best as possible. If you’re abroad, check the internet for any key areas to avoid in the evening.

When you get home

Like when taking your valuables outside, the obvious measures at home are usually the best. Keeping things out of sight will prevent any chancer from trying to grab them. Locks of all kinds are your friend too. Getting into the habit of locking your doors and your windows whenever you’re not nearby will make you far less likely to go out and leave one open by accident. Even small windows should be locked whenever you go out, and house keys should never be left anywhere near your front door where sneaky burglars can hook them through your letter box.

If you haven’t invested in a safe, then now is probably the time to do so. Ditto for a home alarm. There are two kinds of alarms, audio-only and monitored. As you can probably guess, the audio-only relies on the sound to scare any would-be burglars away, while the monitored calls actual police officers to come and catch them. Monitored alarms are more expensive, but whether that expense is overkill or a smart investment depends entirely on the value of your jewellery and watches, and how secure you want to feel. Any kind of home alarm will add a level of protection though.

You may feel perfectly secure in the way you protect valuables at the moment. But if you’re planning an extended holiday, you may find yourself feeling differently. Installing a safe or alarm before you go could help ensure you rest easier while you’re away.

As you can see most of these measures are quite straightforward, but none of them are a guarantee. Your best bet, whether you’re in your own home or out and about, is to have specialist valuables insurance – which is where Ripe Insurance for Valuables comes in. You can find the ideal policy for your valuables quickly and easily on the Ripe website. Protect your valuables properly with Ripe Insurance for Valuables today.