Rights and Entitlements For Robbery Victims

RyanD
April 5, 2013

Robbery of a home or business place can leave the victims feeling vulnerable and anxious. Dealing with the aftermath involves not only getting past the emotional and psychological trauma, but also replacing material goods that were stolen or damaged during the robbery. Neither of these will be easy, but in both cases having some form of insurance can help. Insurance exists to protect homeowners and business people in the event of unexpected loss-causing events such as fire, natural disasters, and crime. Their insurance company will provide a payout that covers some or all of the losses sustained.

Filing an Insurance Claim
After a robbery, it will be necessary to file a police report; the police report will be needed for an insurance claim. It is important that the home or business owner consult their insurance policy at this point to find out about any limits it may have. For example, an insurance policy may assess stolen property based on its cash value rather than its replacement cost. If the payout is based on cash value, then the compensation will be calculated with the item’s depreciation in mind; in other words, the full cost of replacing the stolen property will not be paid. Another important factor for victims to consider is the deductible; victims will have to pay for the replacement of items up to the amount of the deductible. The time taken to pay out a claim will vary depending on the insurer as well as the number of items stolen. The extent of damage done to the property during the robbery can also affect the time it takes to receive a payout. Payment may come in the form of a check; but some insurance companies provide payment in the form of a prepaid debit card that can be used to purchase replacements for stolen items.

Preventing Robberies With Good Lighting
The ideal solution is to avoid the necessity of dealing with a robbery, and thus that of making an insurance claim. While there is no guaranteed method of preventing robberies, there are certain steps that an owner of a home or business can take that may greatly improve the security of their property. Most methods of robbery prevention are simple and straightforward. For example, ensuring that a home or business is well-lit can help to make it more difficult to rob. Good exterior lighting is an important part of securing a property as it gives criminals less opportunity to hide from view. Darkness provides them with the ability to lurk out of sight and wait for a chance to strike. The lights should also be routinely checked to make sure that they are functional and that they properly illuminate the exterior of a building along with its parking lot or driveway. In many cases, simple steps like these will be sufficient to encourage robbers to move on to easier targets.

Preventing Robberies With an Alarm System
If there is a sign indicating that they one is in place, alarm systems can discourage robbers from even making an attempt. If robbery is attempted and the alarm system is triggered, robbers know that they must leave quickly before the police show up. In a business place, a silent alarm triggered during a robbery may help the authorities to apprehend the perpetrators before they can escape. Not having an alarm means that robbers are able to carry out a robbery and flee without fear of being caught. It also means that anyone present at the premises during the crime will be at the mercy of criminals with no means of summoning help.

Much of the value of an alarm system in the home or business also comes from the sense of security they give; owners know that in the event of a crime, they will be able to alert their neighbors and the authorities.

Byline: Jonathan Wilson believes that Optical turnstiles from SmarterSecurity.com can help your business or organization tighten up its security and prevent theft.