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I think the difference the OP is pointing out is that, insurance can look at a broken door or a broken window and say "yep, this is where the person entered the

I think the difference the OP is pointing out is that, insurance can look at a broken door or a broken window and say "yep, this is where the person entered the property." Whereas they'll look at a home-built door lock that was hacked/bypassed and deny any claim, on the basis it "wasn't secure enough" - similar in vein to just leaving your front door unlocked, you won't get any sort of payout

skohan 6y ago
I think @pqs' point is a valid one though: circumventing a home lock by compromising a home automation system's security is surely a higher bar for thief to overcome than breaking through a window, so it's a bit funny for the former to be categorized as a failure on the part of the homeowner, while nobody is expecting everyone to install bulletproof metal shutters.
- rebuilder 6y ago
  Sure, breaking a window is easier, but that triggers an alarm and arms the home defense system. If, OTOH, the thief subverts the home automation system, not only can they open the door and disable the cameras, they can instruct the system to pipe the anti-intruder knockout gas into the biolab/hackerspace where you are burning the midlight oil, working on your revolutionary chimpanzee/cheetah hybrid pizza delivery servant. The thief is then able sneak in undetected and steal your zygotes and tissue samples. Worst-case scenario, they'll take a kidney as well. Yours, I mean. This is why it's so important to have physical safeguards in place, like the mechanical stops that keep the home defense cannon in the foyer from being aimed away from the front door. And obviously bulletproof metal shutters.
aequitas 6y ago
"You only need a lock that looks better than your neighbours". If you take your average thief, they will walk past your house and if it looks like it's worth breaking in they will do this, or go to the next house that looks easier or more promising. They won't even notice your custom smart lock solution and think it might be hackable (unless it's a common brand with a generic explain available, think of scriptkiddy hacking skill requirement). They will go for the easiest thing, like a open window, or break a small window to open the door from the inside. Now if you have a dedicated thief that wants to rob you specifically, they might want to invest into hacking your lock. But only if the rest of your house is already a fortress, or covertness is really key. But if they really want something they might just take an axe to your door and threaten you to open your vault.
- PinguTS 6y ago
  "If you need strong security, then there must be something valuable to protect." If you take your average thief, they will walk past your house and if looks like an wide open door, then he knows there is not much to get and will walk past next to a bit better protected door.
  - KineticLensman 6y ago
    > then he knows there is not much to get and will walk past next to a bit better protected door. In parts of South Africa there has been a continual levelling up of security systems in neighbourhoods where crime can involve fatal assaults in your own home as well as casual burglary. As soon as one resident installs something that seems to add security, the neighbours may rush to install it themselves so that they aren't seen as the softest target. This is in places where many houses have signs saying that they are protected by armed rapid response teams. Source: expat friends of mine who lived for ten years in communities that went from 'normal' houses (locks), protected properties (e.g. sharps on walls), gated communities, high-protection gated communities. [Edit - clarity]
    - fakedang 6y ago
      In our home in a Southern Indian state, we have multiple locks, glass shards on the compound walls, a regular police patrol every 2 hours in the night and a watchman for the entire community. We're currently in the process of getting a new security camera system and some of our neighbours have gone as far as to get fingerprint enabled locks. But all that doesn't stop us from falling victim to petty theft, largely by hired help. A former maid was caught stealing cutlery (not even silverware), another one caught stealing a bunch of forex, and yet another stealing a bunch of cosmetics. Calling a repair person means watching over him while he works so as to ensure that he doesn't pilfer parts away - imagine having a few screws stolen here and there from your cupboard, or your bolt lock being stolen. It's funny in a way I guess. Some folks, like one of my wealthier uncles, even hires Gurkhas with khukris and guns to guard their house. But his house is right on the highway, so some caution might be adequate.
  - 6y ago
jjeaff 6y ago
That's not how any insurance I am aware of works. Leaving your door unlocked does not void your homeowners insurance.

skohan 6y ago

I think @pqs' point is a valid one though: circumventing a home lock by compromising a home automation system's security is surely a higher bar for thief to overcome than breaking through a window, so it's a bit funny for the former to be categorized as a failure on the part of the homeowner, while nobody is expecting everyone to install bulletproof metal shutters.

rebuilder 6y ago
Sure, breaking a window is easier, but that triggers an alarm and arms the home defense system. If, OTOH, the thief subverts the home automation system, not only can they open the door and disable the cameras, they can instruct the system to pipe the anti-intruder knockout gas into the biolab/hackerspace where you are burning the midlight oil, working on your revolutionary chimpanzee/cheetah hybrid pizza delivery servant. The thief is then able sneak in undetected and steal your zygotes and tissue samples. Worst-case scenario, they'll take a kidney as well. Yours, I mean. This is why it's so important to have physical safeguards in place, like the mechanical stops that keep the home defense cannon in the foyer from being aimed away from the front door. And obviously bulletproof metal shutters.

aequitas 6y ago

"You only need a lock that looks better than your neighbours". If you take your average thief, they will walk past your house and if it looks like it's worth breaking in they will do this, or go to the next house that looks easier or more promising. They won't even notice your custom smart lock solution and think it might be hackable (unless it's a common brand with a generic explain available, think of scriptkiddy hacking skill requirement). They will go for the easiest thing, like a open window, or break a small window to open the door from the inside. Now if you have a dedicated thief that wants to rob you specifically, they might want to invest into hacking your lock. But only if the rest of your house is already a fortress, or covertness is really key. But if they really want something they might just take an axe to your door and threaten you to open your vault.

PinguTS 6y ago
"If you need strong security, then there must be something valuable to protect." If you take your average thief, they will walk past your house and if looks like an wide open door, then he knows there is not much to get and will walk past next to a bit better protected door.
- KineticLensman 6y ago
  > then he knows there is not much to get and will walk past next to a bit better protected door. In parts of South Africa there has been a continual levelling up of security systems in neighbourhoods where crime can involve fatal assaults in your own home as well as casual burglary. As soon as one resident installs something that seems to add security, the neighbours may rush to install it themselves so that they aren't seen as the softest target. This is in places where many houses have signs saying that they are protected by armed rapid response teams. Source: expat friends of mine who lived for ten years in communities that went from 'normal' houses (locks), protected properties (e.g. sharps on walls), gated communities, high-protection gated communities. [Edit - clarity]
  - fakedang 6y ago
    In our home in a Southern Indian state, we have multiple locks, glass shards on the compound walls, a regular police patrol every 2 hours in the night and a watchman for the entire community. We're currently in the process of getting a new security camera system and some of our neighbours have gone as far as to get fingerprint enabled locks. But all that doesn't stop us from falling victim to petty theft, largely by hired help. A former maid was caught stealing cutlery (not even silverware), another one caught stealing a bunch of forex, and yet another stealing a bunch of cosmetics. Calling a repair person means watching over him while he works so as to ensure that he doesn't pilfer parts away - imagine having a few screws stolen here and there from your cupboard, or your bolt lock being stolen. It's funny in a way I guess. Some folks, like one of my wealthier uncles, even hires Gurkhas with khukris and guns to guard their house. But his house is right on the highway, so some caution might be adequate.
- 6y ago

jjeaff 6y ago

That's not how any insurance I am aware of works. Leaving your door unlocked does not void your homeowners insurance.