Risk & Business Magazine Jones DesLauriers Insurance Magazine F2017/W2018 | Page 8

TRAVEL SECURITY
BY: CHUBB INSURANCE
Is Your Home Prepared To Be
Alone While You Travel?
I
f you were going out of town for
vacation, you’d make sure a few
things were taken care of. Any pets
would be safe and sound, either
at a care facility or with family or
friends. After all, they can’t take care of
themselves without you around. How
about your car? You’d lock it and put it
either in the garage or in a visible enough
area to where you won’t have to worry
about it while you are away.
But how about your home? Is your home
prepared to be by itself for the duration
of your travel? Many people assume the
answer is yes, but that isn’t always the
case. What if you spring a leak in some
pipes? How about an electrical fire?
It’s not just property damage either.
According to the FBI, out of an estimated
1.5 million burglaries nationwide in
2015, about 71.6 percent took place in
residential areas. When preparing to go
on vacation and leave your home and
grounds unattended, this is an important
statistic to keep in mind. Fortunately,
however, there are some simple things
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you can do before leaving to help protect
your home from risk: Criminals can see when you are away and
use that information to their advantage.
LOOK LIKE YOU HAVEN’T LEFT
Before leaving, set timers on interior and
exterior lights to give the impression of
activity within the home. Also, arrange
for someone to pick up your mail and
keep the lawn trimmed and looking nice. Along the same lines, think about
yourself when you are gone as well.
Will you be renting a car or using
unfamiliar technology? How about
getting around town once you arrive?
Will you need to purchase medical or
travel assistance packages? Just like
you prepare your home, you also need
to prepare yourself for your trip. Don’t
overlook things, because once the time
comes in unfamiliar territory, you could
be left wishing you had put a little more
work into the advanced planning and
mitigation of risk you may face when on
the road.
SECURE AND ALARM THE PROPERTY
Ensure all doors and windows are locked
and the home is either alarmed or being
monitored by a security company. Always
let your alarm company know you will be
out of town.
SHUT OFF ALL APPLIANCES
To protect against the potential of
property damage, turn off washing
machines, dishwashers, and other large
appliances.
AVOID POSTING PLANS ON SOCIAL
MEDIA
At least until you have safely returned.
While it’s fun to share everything you
are up to, it’s not always the best idea.
Regardless of where you are going or how
long you are going to be gone, from a
weekend trip to the beach all the way to
a two-week excursion out of the country,
it pays to be safe and prepared. Travel
should be fun, not stressful. We want to
help make your travel everything you
want it to be. For more information, visit
us online at www2.chubb.com/ca-en/. +