If I forget the keys in my front door, does my home insurance cover me if someone breaks in?

Before answering the question, here some stats about home burglaries, you might find interesting.

According to Statistics Canada, there is, on average, about one break-in every three minutes in Canada, and the majority of these are residential break-ins. The average value of a burglary claim to the insurer has increased 27 per cent over the last five years from $5,695 to $7,243.

Break-ins are more common on Fridays, and least common on Sundays.

The good news is that break-ins are becoming less common today than they were 10 years ago. Of course, leaving your keys in the door by mistake might be all too inviting for a would-be thief as many are opportunists.

So back to the question. Most likely, yes, your home insurance will cover you for the items stolen even if you left the keys in your front door giving them easy access to your home. Insurance companies typically deny coverage when there has been “gross negligence” and while leaving your keys in the door is careless, it’s something that almost all of us have done at one time or another.