Finding your door forced is bad enough. Finding out weeks later that the claim is stuck because nobody wrote down what the door looked like is worse. This guide is about the paperwork, so that when you ring your insurer you have what they are likely to ask for.
It is general advice. Every policy is different, so read yours, or ring the insurer’s helpline, before you spend money.
Before anything is touched
- Photograph everything from both sides: the door, the frame, the lock, the cylinder, any marks on the paint, and anything broken on the floor. Wide shots and close-ups.
- Report it. In Pilar de la Horadada the Guardia Civil has its barracks beside the old watchtower in Torre de la Horadada. The report (denuncia) is the document insurers usually ask for first.
- Ask whether they will come to look before the door is repaired. If they will, leave it as it is.
What the locksmith’s note should record
A useful note is short and factual. It should say:
- The address and the date of the visit.
- What was found: for example, cylinder snapped flush with the guard plate, frame split at the strike, bolts bent.
- How the door appears to have been forced, as far as a locksmith can tell, without guessing beyond that.
- What was done: the parts fitted (make and type of cylinder, strike plate, lock) and any temporary measures.
- What still needs doing, if the door or frame needs a carpenter or a new door.
- The cost, on an invoice in your name.
Ask for the photos the locksmith takes, before and after. Together with yours, they show the state of the door better than any description.
If you were not there
Some owners hear about a break-in from a neighbour while they are in another country. The door can be secured with your authority given by phone and message, and the note and photos sent to you, so the claim can start from wherever you are.
Keep it together
Put the report, the locksmith’s note and invoice, both sets of photos and your policy number in one folder or one email thread. If a safe was attacked too, this guide covers safes that will not open. If the lock that was forced was an old one, the upgrade is worth considering now: how to tell whether a lock has had its day.