How to Secure Your Packages and Your Home | OKFB Insurance

An uptick in online shopping can also mean an uptick in package theft. To help keep your packages and home safe, here are a few helpful home safety tips. Consider these tips while you’re online ordering this summer to be sure your packages and home are safe.

Ways to Reduce Your Risk of Package Theft

• Consider having packages delivered to your place of employment, rather than your home. By doing this, you won’t have to worry about a package sitting unattended on a front porch all day.
• See if it’s okay to have your package delivered to a relative or friend if you know they will be home during delivery. Be in touch with whomever is going to receive it, so you can give them a heads up and coordinate getting it promptly from them.
• Check in to having your items held at a local post office for pickup. By doing this, you can get the package whenever you have time and it will be waiting in a secure location.
• Some stores offer a “ship to store” option. This is a good option for getting the package delivered close to home at a nearby store - for easy pickup when you have time.
• You may be able to stipulate that your package requires signature confirmation for delivery or ask the carrier to leave your items in an area out of view.

What Smart Home Devices Can Help Secure Your Home?

• Secure package dropbox.

  You can purchase and install a heavy-duty, secure dropbox to go on your front porch. Then you can leave delivery instructions for your carrier to deposit the package in the dropbox - the carrier can use it, but thieves have a hard time penetrating the dropbox. These boxes have been invented in recent years due to the uptick in packages being stolen from porches.

• Smart doorbells

  These advanced doorbells normally feature cameras and can detect motion outside a front door. If connected to WiFi and a smartphone, the doorbell camera can show you at any time and from anywhere what is happening live on your front porch.

• Smart door locks.

  There are many options for smart door locks, including some that unlock with a fingerprint scan, a mobile app, a keypad, or even a voice command. Smart door locks provide advanced options and can free you from a traditional house key. Some will even let you provide unique visitor codes to guests or delivery drivers.

• Smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.

  These devices can help keep your home safe from fire and fumes. Some new versions of smart detectors can include advanced features that send alerts/alarms to your smartphone or that go as far as contacting local firefighters if there is an issue while you’re not at home.

These home safety tips and smart devices can help improve the security of your packages and home as a whole. Having the right amount of home insurance coverage can also help ensure your home and valuable assets stay protected. Contact an agent today to see how much coverage you may need.