Worry Free Vacations: Easy Ways to Protect Your Home While You are Away

Vacations are the best, aren’t they? Time off from work to enjoy with family and friends, possibly in a tropical location. We count down the weeks, then days until our vacation but we rarely get excited about leaving our home alone while we are gone. Here are some age old, and some new, do’s and don’ts for protecting your home while away on a trip.

Do: Set your lights on timers. You can even add TVs or radios to a timer so that it not only looks but also sounds like someone is home.

Don’t: Announce on Facebook, twitter or other social media sites that you will be away. Wait to post pictures until you have returned as well. You can never be sure what acquaintances of an acquaintance might see one of your posts or pictures and take advantage of the knowledge that you are out of town.

Do: Have a friend or neighbor pick up your mail. You can also have the post office hold your mail, but if a potential burglar is watching your neighborhood the absence of the mailman going to your house could tip them off that you are away.

Don’t: Leave your hide a key out. They are often easy to find and since there is no chance you will get locked out, bring it inside while you are away.

Do: Leave your car in the driveway or other items in the yard if that’s where they would typically be. If your yard typically has a toy or two out front consider leaving it there while you are away. *Take the garage door opener out of your car though if you have one.

Don’t: leave the curtains open if they are normally closed. Or vice versa. Keep things looking as normal as possible.

Do: Make sure that your valuables are all locked up and out of view. This is also a good time to make sure all items of high value are scheduled on your policy so that you get replacement coverage if they are stolen. For more information on scheduling items talk to your customer service rep or review the blog posts on our website regarding scheduling personal property.