10-Point Checklist For Leaving On Spring Break
10-Point Checklist For Leaving On Spring Break
8 Theft-Preventing Steps to Take Before Leaving for Spring Break
Heading to Myrtle Beach, Charleston or out-of-state for a Spring Break vacation while the kids are out of school? You deserve a break, and so do your kiddos. But the last thing you want to come home to after a week on vacation is the most awful type of break – a break-in. Here are some steps to take before you leave to make your house a little less tempting to thieves and prevent you from filing a homeowners insurance claim.
- Make sure your homeowners insurance provides enough coverage!
The only thing that makes a vacation break-in worse is finding out too late that you’ll have to pay for damages to your home and the loss of your property out of pocket. Before you leave your house unoccupied for any length of time, give us a call and let us go over your coverage with you to make sure you’ve got what you need before you head out.
- Stop your mail/newspapers
Thieves canvassing a neighborhood looking for houses to break into will often look for overfull mailboxes or a stack of newspapers on the front stoop as a sign that the house is unoccupied. Before you leave home, pause your mail and newspaper delivery. It’s easy to stop USPS for a short time by visiting their website here.
- Tell your neighbors you’ll be gone (if you trust them)
It never hurts to let a trusted neighbor know that you’ll be gone so they can keep an eye out for any suspicious activity. Tell a neighbor when you’re leaving and when you’ll get home, and if you expect to have any visitors like pet-sitters come to your house while you’re gone.
- Cut your grass
Another obvious sign of an unoccupied house is an overgrown yard. Mow before you go.
- Don’t leave your garbage cans by the street
If you happen to leave on trash day, ask a neighbor to bring your cans back to your house after the garbage truck runs. If you leave on a day that isn’t trash day, just skip that week. Trash cans left by the street are another indicator to thieves that your house is unoccupied.
- Put your lights on a timer
Choose a few lamps in your house to put on a timer while you’re away. A totally-dark house before bedtime is a sure sign that no one is home, as is one that’s lit exactly the same way 24/7. If your house is outfitted with smart home technology, this is easy to do. Don’t have a smart home? Timers for Christmas lights work just fine for a fraction of the cost.
- Remove your spare key
As much as we all like to think our spare keys are hidden in totally undetectable spots, thieves know where to look. Take your spare key with you while you’re gone, or give it to a neighbor in case they need to come in and check on something.
- Don’t post about your trip until you’re home
Even if your social media profiles are private, a casual conversation between your friend and a person who is up to no good could lead to a break-in at your home and an expensive homeowners insurance claim. Wait until you’re back to post vacation pics online.
Is your homeowners insurance ready for Spring Break?
Call us today to find out. We’ll go over your current coverage with you and make sure you’re adequately protected in case of a Spring Break break-in.
