Holiday break-ins: what does your home insurance cover?

July. Suitcase packed, flights booked, hotel confirmed. Everything's in order. You leave the house, lock the door and… what if someone opens it while you're away? We don't want to put a dampener on your holidays, but residential burglaries spike every summer, and Marbella — with its mix of residents, tourists and properties standing empty for weeks at a time — is no exception.

There's a reason it's become a running joke: we only think about home security once we're already at the airport. But it stops being funny the moment you return to find a window forced open.

As we covered in our last post, this scenario is far more common than people realise. So let's get to the practical part: what your home insurance does — and doesn't — cover in the event of a burglary, and how you can genuinely enjoy peace of mind this summer.

What does home insurance cover if you're burgled while on holiday?

The good news: most home insurance policies include cover for theft. The not-so-good news: they don't all cover the same things, and the details matter enormously.

As a general rule, a standard policy will typically cover:

• Forced entry (broken window, forced lock): usually covered.
• Material damage caused during the burglary: smashed doors, broken frames, damaged furniture.
• The contents of the home: appliances, clothing, jewellery (subject to limits), cash (subject to very low limits), and electronics.

However, watch out for these common pitfalls:

• "Buildings" and "contents" are separate covers. If you only have the building insured, everything inside is left unprotected. We explain this in detail here.
• Jewellery and cash typically carry very low sub-limits. Check what yours are.
• Theft without forced entry (someone walks in because you left the door unlocked) may be excluded.
• Properties left unoccupied for more than 30–60 days: some policies reduce cover if the property has been empty for an extended period. This is particularly important if you own a second home on the Costa del Sol.

The mistake almost everyone makes before going on holiday

Putting jewellery, tablets and valuable watches in a drawer and thinking "that's fine, no one will see them there." The issue isn't whether a burglar spots them — it's that your policy may not cover them if they haven't been declared or if they exceed the sub-limit.

What we recommend before you leave:

• Review your home insurance policy and look for the "theft" or "robbery" section. Read the limits carefully.
• Do a quick inventory (photos or a short video) of your valuables. If something happens, you'll be very glad you did.
• If you own high-value items (collections, artwork, significant jewellery), ask whether you need specific cover for them.
• Let someone you trust check on the property from time to time — some insurers look on this favourably.

And if your home is going to be unoccupied for more than a month — which is very common in Marbella urbanisations with non-resident owners — check explicitly with your broker that your cover remains in full effect.

What if you're letting your property out over the summer?

This is an increasingly common situation on the Costa del Sol: you rent your home through Airbnb or a similar platform while you're away. This is where things get complicated — a standard home insurance policy is not designed for holiday letting and may no longer cover damage or theft caused by guests.

If this applies to you, it's essential to get the right information before you publish that listing. We recommend reading our article on holiday let insurance in Marbella, where we explain exactly which risks are left uncovered and how to address them.