Don’t Leave Your Home Alone

Staying in touch
Volume 11, Number 2
Insurance Brokers Association Canada

Every year some homeowners return from their winter vacation and face heating, freezing and water-related damage to their home. Fortunately, you can avoid such a situation with a little planning now.

As a homeowner, you have a responsibility to maintain heat while your home is unoccupied. Check your home insurance policy. There may be an exclusion for damage caused by freezing. This means if the heat goes off and your pipes freeze and burst, any damage is not covered. Many policies require you to have your home checked by a competent individual to make sure your heat stays on while you’re away. For greater peace of mind, you may want to drain all pipes and appliances as well as shut off the water supply if an extended vacation is planned.

To take the worry out of being away, we recommend you make a home safety checklist. This list should include canceling the newspaper (or arranging for all your papers and correspondence to be picked up regularly). Contact the post office or postal carrier to have your mail held or forwarded. Set up timers in your home to control lights to come on at staggered times throughout the evening. If you have a security system, be sure to let the security company know the exact dates you will be gone. Last, but certainly not least, arrange to have your driveway and steps cleared of snow.

These simple precautions can give you peace of mind while you’re away and may even save you headaches when you return. Feel free to contact us if you have any questions or concerns about leaving your home unoccupied for a period of time.

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