Tips to secure your home during the holidays
The end of the year holidays are often a time of travel and endless fun, leaving many homes standing empty for a few weeks on end; vulnerable to theft and damage. However, this doesn’t have to be the case if you’re fully prepared in terms of making sure your home is covered and protected. Before hitting the road and enjoying a well-deserved break, ensure the following 7 household holiday safety tips are put in place.
- Invest in adequate coverage
Does your insurance match your needs? Now is the time to be 100% sure that you’re adequately covered – both the structure of your home and the contents inside. If you are underinsured, claims may not be paid in full or may be rejected altogether. Make sure you have adequate coverage to protect your valuables even when you’re not around for the holidays.
- Follow your policy conditions
If, according to your insurance policy, it states that you have an active alarm, for example, you need to make sure your alarm is active when you are away. It might seem obvious, but your home must be in its insurable state to be sufficiently covered. Security features must be well maintained so they will always be in good working order. It may be worthwhile to add improvements to your security or at the very least do some much-needed maintenance on any faults that could become an issue while you’re away. An example could be tightening a window handle or replacing an old padlock.
- Don’t get caught out
Outbuildings on your property may have unique insurance conditions – so it would be wise to check that structures such as Wendy houses or free standing garages are sufficiently secured and insured. Sometimes there may be certain limits in place, or some stored goods may need to be specified.
- Save on energy and stress
Turning off all electrical points, except for essential outside lighting for security purposes, can save on your electricity bill, as well as give you peace of mind that nothing can go wrong; such as suffering a power surge. Depending on how long you are away for, you can also turn off your water supply and geyser and unplug any appliances that will not be in use during this period of time.
- Play it safe
If possible, rather get a house sitter as that, of course, means your home will be occupied, which is generally safer. However, if you can’t arrange that, at least get a trusted neighbour or friend to take care of daily chores such as switching on lights in the evening and off again in the morning, perhaps even take out your trash and manage your curtains. Sadly this is the silly season when it comes to crime too, so rather be safe and create the impression that someone is home in your absence.
- Keep your business private
Be careful where you publicise your whereabouts, especially on social media where it’s fair game for all. The wrong individuals could become aware that you are not home and target your property; leaving you vulnerable and couchless once you return home. Inform a select few of your whereabouts, and leave those details out of your social media channels. You can update everyone as to your fabulous holiday once you’re safely back home.
- Secure your space
Since you’re paying for a specific service, you’d do well to inform your chosen security company of your holiday plans beforehand, giving them the opportunity to pay closer attention to your property while you’re away. Having extra eyes on your home while you’re gone could mean the difference between theft and leaving your household contents alone.
Remember, you can never be too safe when it comes to protecting your property, especially if you decide to venture out on a well-deserved holiday vacation. Ensure you have adequate Contents Insurance as well as Buildings Insurance to get you securely through the holiday season, enjoying a much-needed break when you need it most.