With reports of youth crime continuing to impact communities across the nation, new research from Compare the Market has revealed the security measures Australians are implementing to protect their homes.
The latest data found that 41.4% of households have taken precautions within the last 12 months to safeguard their property against youth crimes. This follows the release of data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics, which found that 185,300 households experienced a break-in over the 2022-23 reference period and 194,700 experienced an attempted break-in.
According to Compare the Market’s latest findings, more than 1 in 5 Aussies surveyed say they’ve installed security cameras around the home in the last 12 months as a safety precaution. South Australians were most likely to say they’ve fitted their homes with security cameras (29.3%), followed by Queenslanders (25.5%). Victorians, Western Australians and those from New South Wales sat at around 21%.
Compare the Market’s Executive General Manager of General Insurance, Adrian Taylor, said security cameras can be a major deterrent to theft and burglary around the home.
“We’ve all heard those horror stories of home invasions and burglaries, so it’s not surprising that around 20% of Aussies we surveyed said they’ve invested in security cameras for their home over the past 12 months,” Mr Taylor said. “Crime rates remain high in some parts of the country and having effective home security measures in place is one of the key ways to prevent burglaries and deter thieves.
“Security cameras can deter thieves, assist at the time of a claim on your home and contents insurance and help with any police investigations. Other types of security could even help lower premiums with some providers.”
Compare the Market’s data found that behind security cameras, 12% of those surveyed said they’ve installed motion sensor lights in the past 12 months. Once again, it was South Australians taking the lead (17.3%), followed by New South Wales (12.6%), Western Australia (11.7%) and Queensland (11.6%).
“Motion-detected lights can help to scare off potential criminals and be a cost-effective security measure for many Australians,” Mr Taylor said. “You often have an option of turning on lights when you’re not home or for lights to flash if a potential threat is detected.
“While the thought of someone stealing from your property or causing damage can be frightening, security measures like sensor lights can deter potential thieves or alert you if an intruder is nearby.”
Other ways Australians said they’d protected their property against youth crime over the past 12 months included:
- Installing alarms (8.7%)
- Installing deadlocks (8.6%)
- Replacing existing locks (8.1%)
- Purchasing a dog (4.6%)
Mr Taylor said while securing your home was important, Aussies should also consider home and contents insurance if they don’t already have it.
Mr Taylor’s top tips for home safety
- Install security measures. The safer your home, the less likely it is to be burgled. And, where you can, alert potential thieves to any cameras, alarms or other security measures you have at your property, as they may think twice if there’s a risk of them being caught on camera or setting an alarm off.
- Don’t give thieves an easy entry It’s a simple tactic, but don’t leave your keys hanging in plain sight or in obvious hiding spots (under the doormat is a huge no-no).
- Don’t promote when you’re not home. Whether you’re heading overseas or ducking out to the shops for a few hours, don’t advertise that you’re not home on social media. Instead, save these posts for when you are at home (unless you’ve got someone looking after your house while you’re away).
- Gather evidence if the worst happens. Cameras, video doorbells or other forms of CCTV surveillance could prove favourable if your home is burgled and you need to claim with your insurer. Evidence increases the chance of your possessions being recovered and your claim being processed and approved, if you do have to claim.
- Consider insurance for your home and contents. Home and contents insurance may help cover damages and incidents that affect your home or belongings from theft and defined events such as fire or storm damage. If it’s been a while since you’ve compared policies, you may be able to find a cheaper policy with the same level of cover or one that offers more coverage than your current provider.
- Advise your insurer of the security measures you have in place. Some insurers may offer a lower premium if you have certain security measures in place, while others may not insure you if they deem you don’t have enough security in place.
*Survey of 1,010 Australian adults, conducted March 2024.
For more information, please contact:
Phillip Portman | 0437 384 471 | [email protected]
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