While it may seem harmless to post festive snaps while travelling, insurance experts have warned that broadcasting your absence on social media can alert burglars to an empty home and may even affect your home insurance cover.
Admiral Insurance is advising holidaymakers to think twice before posting real-time updates online.
Noel Summerfield, head of home insurance at Admiral, said: “It’s natural to be excited about your holiday and we all love to share our experiences with our friends and families while we’re away.
“However, by posting photos on Facebook or Instagram while you’re still on holiday, you could be unwittingly letting criminals know that you’re not at home.
“Returning from your travels to find you’ve been burgled would be traumatic, and you could risk not being covered by your insurance if you’ve been careless with what you’ve shared online.”
While Admiral does not have a clause in its home insurance policy stating a claim would be rejected solely due to a social media post, Mr Summerfield said there are still conditions that could affect cover.
He said: “We have a ‘general condition’ which applies to the whole policy.
“This states that the policyholder should take care to prevent accidents, loss or damage.
“If no precautions were taken to limit who can see the photo on social media, and your name and address were posted alongside, then the general condition could come into play.”
He described burglars as “tech-savvy”, using social media to spot patterns, recent purchases, and holidays.
He said: “Something as innocent as taking a holiday selfie could let a burglar know your home is empty if you’re not careful with your social media.”
Mr Summerfield recommends turning off location services, making accounts private, and avoiding posts that indicate you’re away.
Sumit Kumar, a social media expert from Creative Ideaz, also stressed the risks.
Mr Kumar said: “Many people are unaware of the consequences a simple social media post can have until it’s too late.
“Lots of people will be travelling in the coming weeks and it’s natural to want to share happy moments with family and friends.
“However, many home insurance providers place ‘reasonable care’ clauses in policies, so if you are alerting social media users that you’re not at home, you may well see your claim denied if the worst happens and burglar’s strike.
“My advice is always to think before you post.
“Consider who may see your upload, what negative outcomes it may have and whether sharing is worth the potential risk.
“Social media can be a wonderful tool when used correctly, but we all have a responsibility to be safe online.”
Mr Kumar also recommended practical security measures such as installing CCTV, arranging for a neighbour to keep an eye on your property, and ensuring mail doesn’t pile up.
He said these precautions could help reduce the risk of burglary while you’re away.
The AA has also advised travellers to ask family and friends not to tag them in posts during their holidays and to adjust privacy settings to prevent automatic tagging.