Whether going away to the cottage, on a trip or just away from your home/seasonal home during ANY season, you should have someone check your house.
Insurance policies have coverage exclusions when you have been away for 4 consecutive days unless you have someone check on your home. Have a family member, friend or neighbour checking on your house daily while you are away.
Here are some simple things they should be checking:
– Check the basement to ensure that there is no water seepage and that the sump pump is working (especially in heavy rains).
– Make sure the heating system is working during the winter months to prevent the freezing of pipes.
– Conduct a quick inspection of the house to make sure there hasn’t been a burglary
It’s always a good idea to have the person looking after your property to note the date and time they checked your house. Having details of when someone checked on your house is very helpful if you need to make a claim because of an incident while you are away.
Here are some tips to prevent theft while you’re away:
– Use automatic timers to light up the house at night
– Ask someone to get your mail from the mailbox and pick up newspapers daily
– Have someone cut your lawn or plow the driveway
– Do not post specific dates on social media of when you’re going to be away
Having someone look after these things while you’re away from your home can give you great peace of mind and help you enjoy your time you are away.