Right, let's turn to this. Now. It's a worrying story, but it's also a story in which maybe collecting of some good and useful advice might allay some of those fears, because the reality we're just about to talk about is indeed out there and present, and it's probably quite a good idea that we share this with you. This is prompted by the way by story in Business Tech. I just want to acknowledge that Malcolm liber has written the piece.
The headline is or the first paragraph homeowners are being worn that repeat break ends are on the rise in South Africa, with criminals returning for replaced valuables or things they could not steal the first time. And this was prompted in turn by something said by my Way Insurance, the executive head for Claims and Procurement there Yulon and
I Do was the person that Malcolm interviewed. Right, let's get into this in some more detail, and welcome to seven oh two drive Garth to Cleric CEO of the Insurance Crime Bureau. Mister de clerk, welcome and thanks very much for your time. Is this an established pattern? First of all, I mean, what does your data or your experience tell you about this that if people know their way how they got into the first place. I suppose in the first place, I suppose logically they think why not do it again.
Oh, good afternoon, John, and thank you very much for the opportunity to talk about this. I think just before we start, if I could say, you know, the headline should maybe read that there's an increase in house robberies, right, not only in return events or return incidents. So you know, let's not worry about just I'm going to be burgled twice.
Let's warn the community that at this present time, because of the economic conditions that are presidents in South Africa, we have to be careful as residents that we could at any time be hit. And so that's the first thing going to your point that 'lln made from my way, is that we are seeing an increased trend in bad actors returning for your goods once they've been replaced by the insurance companies. Again, not a new trend. I mean, this has been around for years. Guys are pretty clever.
They've broken into your house successfully the first time, it's a bit of a doddle to do it the second time, because normally the first thing you do is just fix one or two areas and then replace your TV, your cell phone, your watchers, et cetera, et cetera. And it's not that difficult to get through a light level of security. So it is happening, but we have to be careful as residents of both repeat and the initial event.
What does one do though, Because I mean you've already taken and knock, there is probably physical There may well be physical damage to your property you massively unsettle. There may be family members who need at the very least support and possibly even counseling. And in the midst of all of that, you've got to start thinking to yourself,
how do we do this differently? And I would have thought the range of options are severely constrained either by the physical nature of where you live or the state of your finances.
I think it's the state of your finances. You know, physical security around your house is certainly not cheap. And again you know it's You're quite right. In a return event, people are rattled, They are emotionally traumatized. These actors that are out there looking to abuse you are not mass people.
They don't care. They will make use of the fact that you are not maybe paying attention and that you slightly rattled side advices to people do what you can, you know, rather than spend money on increasing your hard and security around your house, whether that be paalis ade fence, electric fences, beings in the garden that will set off before the individuals reach your property. Take a look at does your alarm work when lost? Did you test your alarm?
Do you set your alarm whenever you go out? You know, even if you're popping out full load for bread, put your alarm on. These people are watching you.
How do insurance companies regard this phenomenon? I mean, is there any consideration for a period of vulnerability that a family or individuals or a couple or whoever it is, that period of vulnerability after they've been broken into? Or is it barely assessed weld here's the second burglary end of story.
So I can't really speak on behalf of the insurers, John, because there are so many of them in South Africa right However, my experience with the insurance industry has always been one of they are there to hold, They are there to restore restore individuals to the position that they were in before an event. So whether it's burglary number one or burglary number two, they do try and help you through the event and help you to retain a regain a position that you were in before. But how
do you regain your level of comfort? You know, your your kingdom has been invaded? Yes, And unfortunately insurers are not psychologists. You know, it's very difficult to give that person their comfort level back once an event has ecupped.
Let's look at some other trends while we have you that. If that's okay, god declark. I mean, one of the things that I've always wondered about when you see a dip in burglary numbers in the crime stats, whether that's a reflection of a reduction in that crime or a reduction in the levels of the population who could afford insurance?
Do you have any insight into that? Because I would have thought, with the best will in the world, given the financial pressures so many South Africans are under insurance, might be one of the things that bites the dust.
Correct And I think John, you've hit on a very good point. You know, one of my favorite stories that I hear from people is how their cell phones were snatched when they're looking at their social media standing outside the restaurant waiting for their takeaway pizza. I reckon only a small percentage of those type of events handbag snatching, cell phone snatching, laptop snatching are actually reported because of
the underinsured population. You know, insurance is expensive, and as you just said, in terms of economic pressure, one of the areas people will cut back on is the insurance because you know, I feel safe and I'm not going to let myself and be stolen while atop is stolen, et cetera. So is there an underreporting of events? I would say definitely yes. What percentage of South Africa is ensured?
Never too sure, but I know that only about thirty percent of the car park of South Africa is ensured, So thirty thirty five percent of the vehicles that you see on the road I enshured. Is that correlated to house insurance personal insurance? I really don't know.
John, Yeah, thank you very much. Garth de Clerk joining us on seven two Drive. He is the CEO of the Insurance Crime Bureau. Perhaps you've had that experience directly yourself where you had a burglary and then people came back again. It certainly happened to me once, but is this a common pattern? Insurance and others are out there warning people that you need to at least the very
least assume that this could be a possibility. Give us a call on that on O double one eight eight three, O seven O two and O seven two seven O two one seven O two