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Before you make sure your bathing suit still fits or find your favourite sun hat for the beach – there’s a very important part to planning your winter getaway that many homeowners forget…and that’s to check your home insurance policy conditions of coverage.
Many home insurance policies have conditions for coverage – specifically related to vacations. For example, one company requires homeowners who are planning on being away for more than 10 days to have someone check the home daily, shut off the water supply to the house and drain the pipes or have a home security company monitor temperature decreases.
It makes sense. Home insurance protects your home – not an empty dwelling. It is based on the assumption that you – the homeowner – are looking after everything and are there to limit damage if something goes wrong.
For instance, if your hot water tank starts to leak when you’re home you’ll notice and deal with it as soon as possible. If the same thing happens when you’re on vacation, and no one is checking your house daily, the situation will go unnoticed and the damage will be much, much worse.
The last thing you need when you get home from a great vacation is to find yourself with a home problem like water or fire damage that isn’t covered by your insurance because you forgot to meet your home insurance conditions. So talk to your insurance broker. Check your policy documents. And meet those policy conditions. Your vacation will be much more relaxing knowing your home is insured while you’re away.
