Holiday season will soon be upon us, so here’s a few timely reminders on securing your Home when away on holidays.
In our post on Home Insurance Unoccupancy, we discussed the concept of coverage being reduced, restricted or precluded, if home policy holders do not advise insurers if they are away from their home for a set amount of days – 60days with the direct insurers, and 90 or 100days with our brokered home insurance products.
To take the conversation one step further, we outline below some tips for when you do take that well earned holiday.
Lock up your home (stating the obvious!)
Locking up your home is probably one of the most obvious pieces of advice, but it’s also one worth reiterating. It’s not just about locking up your home, but also locking up your vehicles inside and, if applicable, closing up the gates and/or doors that lead into your property. The harder you make it for a potential burglar/thief to gain access to your property, the less likely they are to try and break in.
Draw the curtains
If the key security issue while away from your home is that someone could try to break in, it’s important to remember what a person like this is looking for. Burglars want easy access (see above) and they want to know that the effort would be worth it. If you fail to draw the curtains or close the blinds, then potential burglars may have a greater chance of seeing inside your home. They’ll have a greater chance of knowing no one’s home at the moment, and they’ll also have more opportunities to see what type of stuff you own. If any of it interests them, they might just consider your home a worthy target.
Convince the world you’re still at home
Close friends and family will know that you’re away, but random strangers and passers-by don’t need to. Consider purchasing timers that allow you to create a setting where your lights turn on randomly while you’re away. Provided no blackouts happen while absent, these timers will consistently turn your lights on/off at the same time, much like we tend to in a normal routine (e.g. you get home at 6pm, turn on the lights, head to bed around 10.30pm, turn them off). While it’s not a foolproof illusion, it’s still a fantastic way to deter anyone who may be wondering if you’re at home or not.
Have a friend or family member help out
When away, it’s always worth having a trusted friend or family member occasionally drop by your place. Not only is this good in terms of them being able to collect your mail and put it inside, but it also maintains a sense of presence. With someone regularly visiting, your home still has life, which helps deter anyone with any malicious intent of breaking into your home. As an added bonus, they can check other things – ensuring your garage didn’t flood after a severe storm, observing the water level of your pool (if applicable), making grass or other foliage hasn’t overgrown (especially if you’re away for several months).
Check your Insurance Policy
Particularly for unoccupancy clauses! Should the worst happen, Statewide is available in full during the holidays…always here to help you overcome any burglary incidents.