Vacation time! How to make your time away from home stress free.

2016-07-08
By: Denise Koslowsky

Summer is peak vacation time. The beach beckons, your home in the hills awaits, exotic locations are calling you…and you’re off.  Before you head out, we’ve got a few things for you to think about so that your time away is as stress free as you imagine.

Expect the unexpected…will you be covered?

No one wants to think about insurance when you are planning for a getaway but the fact remains that events you did not/could not anticipate happen and get in the way of your travel plans.

In fact according to the US Travel Insurance Association, ¼ of Americans had to cancel, delay or interrupt their travel plans during the summer of 2013.  This is not a statistic you want to be a part of; an illness, a weather event or a transportation issue could each be the unexpected event that ruins your summer.  Having policies in place that protect you from the unexpected may be worth the added cost.

Consider:

• Coverage for trip cancellation and be sure it includes a provision for cancellation for any reason.
• Coverage for illness or injury.
• Coverage for travel delays.
• Coverage for assistance should you become injured and need help locating medical help and or family members to assist you in your time of need.

Get home base prepared
Not only is summer peak vacation season, it is also peak home crime season!  1 in 215 homes have property damage each year due to burglary during the summer months.  To help your vacation be claim free at home base, we have a few tips to help you prep your home so you can relax while you are away!

Before you leave home be sure to:

• Secure your home with deadbolts and an alarm system.
  • Be sure to pay special attention to the garage door, a popular point of entry for thieves.
• Trim your hedges so that there are less places for would-be burglars to hide.
• Keep an outdoor light on or better yet, have motion sensors installed on outdoor lighting.
• Lock up your shed or any place you store ladders or tools an intruder could use to break into your home.
• Turn off…
  • Mail & paper delivery (to give the illusion that you are at home.
  • Water supply (to prevent flooding)
  • Major electronic devices (to prevent damage in the event of a brown out)
  • Ask a neighbor to keep an eye on your home and report anything suspicious.
  • You might want to also give them a key so that in the event of an emergency they can intervene.

We want you to have a relaxing summer, not a stressful one!  Protecting you and your investments is important to us at Advocate Brokerage.  If you are getting ready to travel and have questions, please give us a call.  We are here to make any necessary recommendations so you can relax and enjoy your summer!

Oh & one more important tip…we want to enjoy your vacation photos too but it may be wise to refrain from posting them on social media until you return home.  The sad truth is that there are thieves that stalk the internet looking for people who are away so they can break into their homes.