Leaving for the holidays can be a cheerful moment, but there’s always that fear lurking in your head that keeps you worried about leaving your house empty. It’s important to take some key tips from your insurance broker to prevent any troubles and dangers.
Talk With Your Broker
First things first, you need to talk with your broker to ensure you have coverage while away. Every insurance policy has different requirements. For example, some companies require the home to be checked daily, some every other day. Some require that the water be shut off while gone for more than four days, for other companies it is three days or more. All this is to say, contact your broker to let them know how long you will be gone and if there is anything you need to do to ensure coverage is in place. Common requirements include shutting off the water and getting someone to check the property regularly to ensure coverage is in place.
Lights On, Lights Off
Appearances are deceiving – and we mean this in a good way. During the holiday season many burglars are attentive about empty homes. Light switch timers are a great way to fool any possible intruders. Set these timers to your regular usage to maintain the vibe of an inhabited home.
Pause All Services
Speaking of appearances, a way to detract attention is to halt all mail and newspaper services. Get in contact with your local mail services to store your mail until you get back and cancel your newspaper service for the time you’ll be out. Otherwise, you can always ask a friendly neighbour to pick up your mail/newspapers until you are back in town.
Don’t Make a Big Deal Out of It.
The 21st century has made us reliable to technology in every way, even when it comes to showing off. Don’t make a big deal about your plans on social media. If possible don’t post specific information about your departure from home; at least don’t tell how many days you’ll be out. You never know who might be paying extra attention.
Unplug
Don’t have useless electronics plugged in if they’re not going to be in use, like televisions, video game consoles, lamps and computers, only the essential fridge or large freezer.
A Friendly Visit
Anyone paying real attention will eventually discover nobody is home. Have a close friend or family member check on your house multiple times per week. Have them come inside and check the rooms, garage etc. Even better, have someone come over and housesit – be nice and leave them a fully loaded pantry!
Keep it trimmed.
Nature always finds its natural course, and if you leave it alone the grass will overgrow, throwing off the illusion. If you’re leaving for quite a while it’s always good to hire someone to come and shovel the walkway/driveway in the winter. Virgin snow with no footprints can be a dead giveaway that no one is home, even if you take all the other measures.
In Case Of…
Sometimes we just can’t prevent it, and eventually things don’t fall in our favour. Be prepared. Have your reliable insurance broker ready to take care of any unfortunate situation. If not affiliated with one it’s always ideal to seek a reputable company like Rowat Insurance. We wish you all a safe, warm, and happy holiday season!