Are you ready to close up your cottage for the winter season? Most of your work will involve protecting your cabin from water damage and pests. But you should also protect it from unexpected disasters, such as freezing pipes, break-ins, and vandalism. And to get adequate protection for all these potential problems, you’ll need cottage insurance. To find out if it’s the right choice for you, here are some of the reasons why your cottage insurance is essential during the off-season.
Extreme Weather
Winter weather brings a number of potentially damaging conditions, such as changing water levels, intense ice and wind storms, as well as the freeze-and-thaw cycles. And if one of these conditions causes a flood, severe roof leak, or property damage, you could be facing some pretty hefty expenses if you’re not covered. If you don’t visit your cottage often, problems like these could escalate in even further damage. Cottage insurance provides the income you need to help fix the damages so you can return your cabin back to normal.
Frozen Pipes
One of the biggest concerns that many cottage-owners have during the off-season is with their pipes. If you’re not there during a deep freeze to run warm water through the pipes, they could freeze up and burst, resulting in major water damage. Having a cottage policy will help to cover any costs that could incur if this were to happen.
Break-Ins
Burglars often target cottages during the off-season because they know it’s unlikely that someone is home. If you don’t rent out your cottage in the winter, it’s important to have enhanced security features to prevent break-ins. This includes an alarm system, along with an insurance policy that will cover the damages in case something is stolen before the police arrive.
Vandalism
Not all insurance plans are created equal — some don’t cover vandalism. But if someone spray paints the outside of your home with profanity or smashes your windows in, you’ll want to have it fixed asap. Paying for all the materials to fix vandalism can be expensive, so if you have a seasonal cottage, you should check to see whether you have vandalism insurance included in your policy.
Septic or Sewer Back Up
A great deal of water and snowmelt can overwhelm your system when it’s not in use. Sewer or septic back up can result in a great deal of damage, including mould and bacteria that will need to be cleaned immediately. Insurance will help you repair or replace items if there’s ever damage done to your carpets, walls, and furniture as a result of a back up with the septic.
If you own a cottage, contact us at Rowat Insurance today. We’ll make sure you have the right coverage for your needs.