Heading out of town? Here are seven precautionary measures you can take for protecting your home while you’re away, and everything in it as well.
Lights On
Always make sure that your home is well lit. It deceives thieves into thinking that somebody is at home. You can install indoor light timers that turn on at a specific time. There are even more sophisticated systems that allow you to control your lights, heat, and other home features through an online app.
Lock Doors and Windows
Make it extra difficult for burglars to get into your home by getting sturdy locks and dead-bolt windows. You may also get a discount on your home insurance if you have these.
Install Burglar Alarms
There are sophisticated alarms now that will alert an outside service and relay the message to you, the police, fire department or ambulance when a break-in is going on. You don’t need to have the latest bells and whistles but a basic service such as the one mentioned is good enough. By investing in an alarm, you may receive additional home insurance discounts.
Alert Neighbors
Notify your neighbors that you are going away. Leave your contact details with them. That way if something unusual happens they can inform you and the authorities.
Keep Your Mailbox Clean
Ask a neighbor to pick up your mail for you, or better yet, contact your local post office and have them hold your mail while you’re away.
Stay off of Facebook
Nothing lets more people know that you’re out of town for a few days like sharing posts on Facebook about the fun you are having. Take time to enjoy your vacation, spend time with your friends and family, take a lot of pictures, then share them when you get back home if you like. We’ll bet that you and those with you will enjoy your vacation even more.
Insuring Your Home
If you’ve followed our advice – great! Unfortunately, there isn’t a 100% fool-proof plan against burglary. Knowing that, you need to have the right homeowners insurance in place. Most every home insurance policy covers burglary or theft as one of the many policy protections. Even if you have a renters policy or condo insurance, most all policies provide some level of this coverage.
If you have questions about whether or not you’re properly covered against theft and other perils, give Couri Insurance a call, we’d be glad to help
