The Proof You Cannot Provide

A burglary happens every 51 seconds in the United States according to FBI data. That totals 779,542 burglaries in 2024.

You file your insurance claim. The adjuster demands original purchase receipts for everything stolen.

Nobody keeps receipts for televisions bought five years ago. Nobody has receipts for jewelry received as gifts decades ago.

The insurance company knows this. They deny your claim for insufficient documentation.

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How Insurance Companies Deny Burglary Claims

Insufficient Proof of Loss

This is the most common denial reason. Insurance companies claim you cannot prove what you owned or what was stolen.

They demand documentation you cannot reasonably provide. Original receipts from years ago do not exist.

They reject reasonable alternatives like photos, statements, and testimony. Nothing short of perfection satisfies them.

Police Report Discrepancies

You file a police report immediately after discovering the burglary. In shock and stress, you estimate losses quickly.

Later investigation reveals additional stolen items you missed initially. You update your insurance claim to reflect actual losses.

Insurance companies claim discrepancies between police reports and insurance claims prove fraud. They ignore that discovering full losses takes time.

Vacancy Exclusions

Policies exclude coverage when homes remain vacant beyond specified periods. Most allow 30 to 60 days before exclusions apply.

Insurance companies claim any unoccupied period constitutes vacancy. Your weekend home burglarized on a Tuesday gets denied.

Your primary residence burglarized during a two-week vacation gets denied. They claim vacancy whenever it suits denial purposes.

Suspicious Circumstances

Insurance companies hire investigators who find suspicious patterns in everything. You increased coverage recently. Suspicious.

You have financial problems. Suspicious. You cannot provide perfect documentation. Suspicious.

They manufacture fraud allegations from normal circumstances. Any claim over a few thousand dollars triggers investigation.

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Burglary Claim Statistics and Realities

FBI data shows 779,542 burglaries occurred in 2024. This represents a decline of 8.1% from 2023.

Burglary rates have fallen 69% since 2005 when there were over 2.1 million incidents. The national rate dropped to 229.2 per 100,000 residents in 2024.

Despite declining rates, individual losses remain severe. The FBI estimates average dollar loss per burglary at $2,661. Total burglary losses exceeded $2 billion in recent years.

When Burglaries Happen

Over half of burglaries occur during daylight hours between 10 AM and 3 PM when homeowners are at work. Summer months see 11% more burglaries than winter.

Only 27.6% of burglaries occur when someone is home. Most burglars target empty houses.

The majority use front doors or first-floor windows. About 9% enter through garages.

The Investigation Gap

FBI data shows only 11% burglary clearance rates. Police solve very few property crimes.

Law enforcement prioritizes violent crimes over property crimes. Limited resources mean most burglaries receive minimal investigation.

Insurance companies cannot deny claims because burglars were not caught. But they question whether burglaries actually occurred when criminals remain unidentified.

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The Sublimit Problem

Standard homeowners policies include coverage sublimits that drastically reduce payment for specific property types.

Common Sublimits

Jewelry, watches, and furs typically limit to $1,500 total. You might own $50,000 in jewelry but recover only $1,500.

Cash, bank notes, and precious metals limit to $200. Thieves steal $2,000 cash and you receive $200.

Firearms limit to $2,500. Your gun collection worth $20,000 receives $2,500.

Collectibles, artwork, and antiques limit to $2,500. Your collection worth $100,000 receives $2,500.

Securities, stamps, and coins limit to $1,500. Business property limits to $2,500 on premises.

Scheduled Personal Property

Scheduled personal property endorsements remove sublimits. You list specific items with appraisals and pay additional premiums.

Most people do not know these endorsements exist. Insurance agents never explain sublimits when selling policies.

Policyholders discover limitations only after burglaries. Insurance companies profit by selling inadequate coverage.

Business Property and Home Office Claims

Standard homeowners policies limit business property coverage to $2,500 on premises. Stolen computers, equipment, and inventory receive minimal coverage.

Home office endorsements increase these limits. Business owners policies provide comprehensive coverage.

Insurance companies deny claims by classifying any work-related items as business property. Your personal computer used occasionally for work gets denied.

We distinguish personal property from business property. We pursue proper coverage under applicable policy provisions.

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Time Limits and Immediate Actions

Call police immediately upon discovering burglaries. File detailed police reports.

Do not clean up or repair damage until documenting everything. Take extensive photos and videos showing forced entry points and damage.

Contact your insurance company within 24 hours. Delays provide ammunition for denial.

Contact us immediately. Early involvement prevents documentation mistakes that insurance companies exploit.

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The Real Cost of Burglaries

Direct property loss is obvious. Burglars steal valuables and damage your home.

Hidden costs include temporary security measures, replacement locks, security system upgrades, and temporary housing if homes are uninhabitable.

Emotional costs include trauma, violation of privacy, and loss of irreplaceable sentimental items. Insurance companies ignore these factors.

We document total costs including all consequential expenses. Standard adjusters miss these components.