Is Your Home Safe While You’re on Vacation?
5 Easy Tips to Keep Your Home Safe
Although Covid-19 has put a stop to our extended or exotic vacations, many of us are still hitting Bear Lake and Yellowstone with this beautiful summer weather! While you are away, it’s easy to forget how vulnerable your house is. Here are five easy tips to help secure your home and take the worry away while you’re out enjoying the sun!
Triple Check that Everything is Locked
How many times are you rushing to get the kids out of the house so you can get to your destination on time? Maybe you are just forgetful like me and left the back window open. I am 100% guilty of closing my windows without locking them. Take an extra two minutes to make sure all doors and windows are closed and locked! Don’t forget to lock any vehicles you’re leaving at home. Thieves are looking for easy targets, don’t make your home or car one of those targets!
Save All those Vacation Pictures Until You Are Back
We all love to post about how great our vacations are with those awesome views of lakes or mountains but not everyone on social media has your best interest in mind. Save those pictures and posts for after you get home! This also means asking your kids to stop Snapchatting every second of the vacation. Good for family time and to make your home less vulnerable!
Ask a Friend or Relative to Check on Your Home
This is an easy way to give you some peace of mind while you are away. A relative, friend, or trusted neighbor can swing by and check on your home occasionally.
Inventory Your Most Valuable Items
Home invasions are always devastating and tragic. If this happens in your home, you do not want to rely on memory alone to know your what your valuable items are and their approximate value. The easiest way to do this is with a quick video on your phone or logging these belongings on your smartphone. Most smartphones back up to the cloud or can easily be sent or saved elsewhere.
Check to Make Sure You Are Covered
Now that you have your valuables logged in some type of inventory, the next step is to check in with your insurance agent to make sure these are covered. Many homeowners policies have set limits on coverage for jewelry, firearms, collectibles, etc. You may have had plenty of coverage when you first moved in, but we all accumulate personal property overtime and it may not be enough now. Have that conversation before there is ever a problem!
These simple steps can make all the difference in deterring a thief or in recovering from a break in. Stay safe and keep your home safe while you’re away!