Theft, Vandalism, burglary, robbery, and arson are part of what is termed as ‘property crime.’ In Florida, ‘petit theft’ refers to stolen goods with a value less than $300, and beyond that, it is classified as a ‘grand theft.’ Usually, theft and vandalism in your home would be combined with burglary as thieves would break-in and enter your home unlawfully to steal your prized possessions or commit the theft or vandalism. You’ll be surprised to note that in Florida, Daytona Beach ranks as the third most dangerous city to live in, with a crime rate of 60 per thousand residents. It has a reputation of being a spring break destination and attracts massive motorcycle rallies. Daytona Beach has an abundance of natural beauty and many cultural events which attract hordes of visitors that contribute in no small measure to the crime rate in the city.
No matter where you live, some people will always have malicious intent towards you, thus exposing you to the risk of burglary and theft. So how does one protect oneself? Is there any guarantee of safety?
Living and working in Daytona Beach requires you to protect yourself. For starters, purchase a good home surveillance system, learn to be cautious, hook up your home alarm system when leaving home and invest in a good homeowner’s insurance policy that provides cover against theft and burglary. You may even be eligible for a discount from your insurance carrier. Read the fine print on your policy carefully, as the limit mentioned may not be enough to cover all your missing stuff. Understand which lost items would be replaced in case of a theft. Therefore, it’s a good idea to prepare an inventory of all your possessions and assign an amount to them. This will help you determine the limit required to meet the losses when faced with a theft.
Your homeowner’s policy comes with coverage for your home and its belongings from theft and vandalism. So even if your personal items are stolen or vandalized when you are outside your home, your homeowner’s insurance policy will take care of them. For e.g. if your laptop or mobile phone gets stolen from your car, you will receive compensation for it. Also, check if you have an actual cash value or replacement cost value mentioned in your policy. Actual cash value is the original cost of your belonging minus depreciation, whereas replacement cost value is the cost of buying a new item at today’s purchase price. While the latter option is preferable, it comes at a higher premium. Unless you have lost a lot of expensive possessions, it is not a good idea to file a claim for a minor theft as your premium goes up significantly when you file a theft claim.
Experienced Public Adjuster is based out of Orlando with a satellite office in Daytona Beach. We have a team of professional adjusters who are just a call away. Our adjusters are skilled and trained individuals with immense experience in dealing with insurance claims. We protect you from unscrupulous insurance providers and help you get an equitable settlement. Contact us today if you ever have to face a property crime like theft or burglary or vandalism in your home in Daytona Beach.