I was listening to my staff in the lunch room as they were talking about their holiday plans. Some were heading home for the holidays or to the cabin etc. That got me thinking. The Holiday Season is upon us. Unfortunately that means that our homes are an even greater target for thieves.
Most breakins occur because burglars are opportunistic. They know at this time of the year that there are lots of gifts in the house, and they are looking for an easy target.
Make Your Home Looked Lived In
There are some common sense approaches that anyone can take to make their home looked lived in.
- Lock your outside doors and windows. (including garage doors and windows especially if there is a door inside to the house)
- Don’t hide keys near the door. Burglars know to look under the mat or the rock next to the door.
- Lock up any Garden Tools and Ladders. Don’t give burglars something to force their way into your house with.
- Put Lights on a timer (add a timer to the TV as well).
- If you are going to be gone for a few days, timers or apps to control Christmas tree lights and outdoor lights give the house a lived-in look.
- If you are going to away, make sure your driveway gets shovelled or plowed.
- Have a trusted neighbour/relative check on the house. Go in walk around etc.
- Move Cars/Trucks in the Driveway. Again the trusted Neighbour can help here
- Zip Tie your Emergency Release latch in your Garage. It will make it much harder for a burglar to gain entry through the garage.
- Get Newspapers and Flyers picked up.
- Don’t leave email messages saying you are out of town. Don’t change your voicemail to say you are away.
- Don’t Post on Social Media you are away and don’t post pictures of your vacation.
- Don’t Put Your Garbage out Early (get the trusted neighbour to do it)
Check out this video about preparing your home while you are away for vacation
The Insurance Equation
So here is the sell. While the list above is in no means exhaustive, it is clear that it is important to make sure to protect your home during the holiday season. Make it look lived in. Protecting your home also includes one critical piece Insurance. You have invested your hard earned savings to make this your home and make everyone’s Christmas special, it is important to protect it with insurance.
At Crosbie Job, we are your Newfoundland and Labrador Homeowner’s insurance experts. We will work with you to tailor your homeowners insurance so that it meets your needs. Kick back and relax enjoy some much deserved R&R. Sleep Easy! We’ve Got You Covered. Don’t hesitate to contact us and put our Strength and Experience to work for you.
Drop us an email: [email protected] or call us at 709-726-5414 or 1-800-563-7788.
