Burglars are active during the summer vacation season. One insurer is concerned about the tendency of younger generations to post vacation photos on social media, which effectively announces to everyone—and especially to criminals—that the house is empty while they are away.

Christian Morin is Agency Manager at Allstate of Canada in Québec City. In an interview with Insurance Portal, he says the insurer’s data show that burglary claims are higher between July and November, which coincides with the period when the greatest number of people travel away from home for vacations.

“The peak is in August, with 9.9 per cent of all annual burglary claims, or nearly one claim in 10 for this type of risk,” he says. The data cover the 2015–2024 period.

Morin confirms that although many policyholders take winter sun vacations, there is not the same impact on burglary claims. August is by far the most critical month for this type of claim.

The insurer operates in Quebec, Ontario, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Alberta. Allstate is not able to specify how burglary claim frequency varies by province.

The theft data include only claims submitted under homeowners insurance policies. The raw data relate to homeowners insurance and do not distinguish between thefts at a primary residence and those occurring at a secondary residence.

Declining trend

The number of break and enters has been declining in Canada since 1998. On July 22, 2025, Statistics Canada released data on police-reported crime in Canada for 2024. According to the Crime Severity Index (CSI), both the volume and severity of crime declined in 2024 after three consecutive years of increases.

According to Statistics Canada, police reported 1,163 break and enters in 1998 per 100, 000 population. In 2024, approximately 293 break and enters were reported to police also per 100,000 population. This represented a decline of 11 per cent from the previous year and 75 per cent compared with 1998.

Despite that decline, there were still 121,033 break and enter incidents in 2024. They accounted for 13 per cent of the overall CSI value in 2024, making this offence the largest contributor to the index.

Sharing on social media

Allstate commissioned a survey conducted by Léger. The findings were shared on July 6 by Charlotte Kaliaguine, Senior Coordinator at public relations firm Capital Image. She says the online panel survey was conducted from April 17 to 20, 2025, among 1,603 respondents. Of those, 1,352 said they are active on social media.

Nearly one-third of social media users surveyed (32 per cent) say they post content about their vacation plans before or during their trip. That proportion rises to 51 per cent among respondents aged 18 to 34.

Another concerning finding, according to Allstate, is that although most respondents say home security is a priority while they are on vacation, about 15 per cent say it is more important to them to share vacation updates on social media.

According to Christian Morin, “thieves have various ways of checking whether people are away from home and determining the best time to strike. If people share their vacation photos on social media, that certainly doesn’t help. They are publicly showing that no one is home.”

Prevention tips

If homeowners have smart home systems installed, Christian Morin suggests using them to vary the lighting while they are away. He also recommends asking neighbours or a trusted person to check on the property, bring in the mail and mow the lawn if necessary.

A burglary claim will still be honoured by the insurer, he adds, even if the occupants have posted details explaining their absence on social media. “However, that claim becomes part of the policyholder’s record,” Morin notes.

If the insurer determines that this type of online activity increases the risk, it could impose stricter conditions at renewal, such as requiring the installation of a monitored security system. “I’m not a claims expert, but if there is no other exclusion in the policy and an event like this occurs, we pay the claim and make a prevention recommendation,” he says.

Morin also stresses that the impact of a burglary claim extends beyond the individual homeowner and affects all insureds in the same neighbourhood.

Without commenting specifically on Allstate’s findings, Kim Wesley, Director of Personal Insurance at brokerage Lareau, says that “the recommendation to avoid posting real-time information indicating that a residence is unoccupied is simply a matter of caution.”

In a publication on home burglary prevention released in July 2024, Wesley recommended that policyholders exercise discretion on social media. “The temptation to share beautiful moments and sunsets is strong,” she wrote, but such posts tell thieves that the house is unoccupied. “Wait until you return, or send your photos by email or text message to family and friends,” she suggested.

She notes that the advice published in 2024 remains relevant today. The brokerage reminded policyholders to lock all entry points with high-quality locks and install a security system connected to a monitoring centre. It also recommended creating the appearance that someone is home, for example by leaving lights on or asking a neighbour to use the home’s driveway.

It also suggests storing valuables in a safe, keeping bicycles out of sight and securing outdoor storage sheds.

Security company Solution Alarme Plus, which installs security and monitoring systems in homes and businesses, reports several trends related to burglary in the province of Quebec. It notes that burglars most often strike during daylight hours. Their most common points of entry are the patio door, the garage or basement door, and rear windows.

Criminals spend an average of 90 seconds on the property and search the main rooms. If the break-in triggers an audible alarm, they leave immediately. In densely populated urban areas, break-ins are reported quickly and response times are very short, the company adds. In suburban and rural areas, police response times are longer.

The Insurance Bureau of Canada reminds consumers that some homeowners insurance policies may include limits on reimbursement amounts for high-value property such as jewellery, gold items, works of art, wines and spirits, software and bicycles.