Tis the season for packing sunscreen and Hawaiian shirts!  It’s a time to refresh and recharge somewhere nice and sunny, or if you’re so inclined, on the ski slopes.  It’s also a time when you’re not thinking about certain things.

Like insurance.

As a homeowner, it is very important to understand your insurance responsibilities if you are away from your home for more than four days at a time (and most travel plans, particularly for winter getaways, are for more than four days).

Homeowners must take steps to ensure your insurance policy remains in force.  These steps can include:

• Having a competent person drop by on a daily basis to check out your home.  This includes taking in the mail and any flyers that may have collected, and having a look around to make sure everything is in check (no water damage, leaky pipes, break-ins, etc).
• Consider draining ‘domestic water containers’, such as the hot water tank.  While this is not always necessary, it is a great step for those of us who live in very cold and remote places, where freezing pipes create an issue.

Here are some other tips homeowners should take before a trip:

• Take theft precautions.  Use timers on lights that stagger start times each day so it appears that someone is home.  Close all window coverings and ensure all doors are locked.
• Do not advertise a trip on social media.  Leave the Facebook and Twitter updates for when you return – not before.  Would be thieves will often troll social media sites for this kind of information.

Consider adding central-monitored security system, which in addition to peace of mind, provides a discount on home insurance.