Planning a summer getaway? Remembered your passports, plane tickets and bathing suits? Good. But did you remember to stop your newspaper delivery, put timers on your lights and ask a friend to watch your house?
It’s important to take precautions to safeguard your home from burglars while you’re gone.
A recent survey from TD Insurance about home security reveals many of us may not have all the facts before going away.
Here are a couple of simple travelers’ tips from TD Insurance to help you protect your home from unwanted attention this summer:
• Consider a security upgrade. The TD Insurance survey reveals one-quarter of homeowners in Saskatchewan and Manitoba (24%) think an alarm system is sufficient to protect their home from intruders. While an alarm system is a great first step in protecting your home if the unexpected does occur, there are other steps to take to increase security while you’re out of town, such as installing deadbolt locks and putting valuables in a safe. Not only will this help deter burglars, but it may also decrease insurance premiums.
• Watch out for burglar “home hot spots.” Many folks in Saskatchewan and Manitoba wouldn’t consider mailboxes (72%), shrubs and trees (81%) and driveways (94%) to be vulnerable areas that thieves can take advantage of. But consider if a mailbox is overflowing, a driveway is empty, or if a burglar were to use overgrown shrubs and trees to hide. There are ways to make a home look occupied before heading on vacation.
• Review your insurance policy. Nearly one-third of homeowners (31%) incorrectly believe that if their home is robbed, their insurer will reimburse them for the stolen goods at today’s prices. But a basic home insurance policy generally only covers actual cash value. So look for a policy that includes replacement value. It’s also a good idea to take inventory of your valuables now, in case you ever have to make a claim.
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