A lot of us are making hurried, last-minute plans to travel somewhere scenic and exciting, trying to squeeze in just a bit more fun before summer’s end. But is the pressure to make the most of a fading gala-friendly season causing you to leave your home unprotected?
Whether it’s a burst pipe, a break-in, or an electrical fire, the risks of leaving your home unattended are real—but entirely manageable. With a little preparation and the right tools, you can leave your house behind with confidence, knowing that your space is safe.
Don’t let your last vacation of the season be ruined by worry and doubt. Through some easy to manage preparations, your summer’s last hurrah can be as calm and peaceful as the clear sunny skies you enjoy.
Do the groundwork early
Just like you set an itinerary, you should schedule steps to secure your home ahead of time.
A week before you hit the road, start making arrangements for your home upkeep, especially if you plan to be gone for more than three days. Ask family or friends to drop by to water your plants and pick up your mail and packages, because nothing says “vacant” like a pile of untouched packages and mail stuck under your door. Some condos will offer this service, so make sure you check with your building administration.
If you need a house-sitter or a pet-sitter, now is the time to book them. Some pets don’t travel well, and you want to make sure that the litter box is getting cleaned daily and that they have fresh food and water. Alternatively, you can also book your pets a stay at a pet hotel or find a friend or family member willing to take care of them for the duration of your trip.
A week before the trip is also when you check your doors and windows for weak or broken locks. This gives you the time to get them replaced or reinforced if needed. You might also want to get that remote cctv camera you have always wanted but have been putting off installing.
A couple of days before, make sure that your checklist is ready for last-minute tasks and security checks. Include checking for anything that can go wrong and possibly cause damage: unplugging electrical outlets, checking locks on doors and windows, and closing the leaky faucet or water main.
Have your list ready when you’re getting ready to go for last-minute checks. Doing so will prevent you waking up in the middle of the night and asking yourself if you turned off the gas for the stove before you left.
Keep your digital footprint private
Do not, no matter how tempted you can be, post your travel details online before and during your trip. Even better, only let trusted people know that you’ll be leaving your home unoccupied. If possible, keep your itinerary vague unless absolutely necessary, especially for extended travel.
If you broadcast to the world that you are not home, there is a chance that shady characters might take advantage of that. It’s not just about preventing break-ins, either. If someone was determined enough, they could intercept your mail to get access to your credit card details, or hack your home network.
Hope for the best, prep for the worst
While you always try to ensure a great experience while traveling, accidents do happen. Preparing for these is always a good idea, and minimizes, if not totally eradicate, their negative effects.
Create duplicates of all your important documents both digitally and physically. Place the physical copies in a sealed envelope that shows proof of tampering and then leave them with a trusted person. Include a copy of your house keys, because goodness knows that there are plenty of ways to drop those off a ferry or out of a bag while shopping.
Place the digital copies in cloud storage and share it with the people you are traveling with and encourage them to do the same with their documents. This should include your passport, tickets, anything that has to do with booking activities, and other identification such as your driver’s license. Same goes for any travel insurance documents you may have.
You may want to consider making duplicates of your records and hiding them with trusted people a permanent practice. Fires and floods have been known to wipe out entire libraries of records, and in this worst case scenario, it would have paid off to have copies of your important documents safe in a separate location, especially insurance documents that may help you get back on your feet after an unforeseen misfortune.
Insurance is another important tool that you should consider making a permanent part of your life, especially if you are a homeowner. Everyone knows about life insurance and how it provides a basic form of financial security, but home insurance isn’t as common, and it should be.
With the Philippines being ravaged by typhoons, floods, and other natural disasters, it’s a wonder that home insurance isn’t just mandatory for every home. Having something to fall back on in case something happens to your house is great for your peace of mind, whether it happens when you are at home or in some far-flung vacation spot.
Malayan Insurance Home Protect, for one, offers very comprehensive coverage to set your mind at ease. The perils they recognize are both natural and man-made. When you speak of natural, you come to think of flooding, damage from typhoons, earthquakes, and lightning strikes. Manmade perils include fire, smoke damage, damage from riots and other malicious actions from other people, even such accidents as airplanes falling from the sky and vehicle impact and explosions.
They even consider that you will need a place to stay while your home is uninhabitable and offer assistance in finding and funding alternative accommodation.
If you’re thinking that your home has to be totally demolished to avail of home insurance, that is simply not true. Malayan Insurance Home Protect offers coverage for break-ins and less disastrous damages that require the replacement of fixed glass panes such as those in sliding doors, and for the replacement of locks to restore your sense of safety and security.
Malayan Insurance Home Protect also has medical coverage benefits for you and other household members, including a hospital cash allowance, surgical benefits, and even ICU coverage.
Even the valuable items inside the home can be insured as part of the house. This provides protection for your personal possessions or declared valuable items such as works of art, antiques, in the event they are damaged by a covered peril (such as fire).
What’s best is that this coverage is in effect even when you’re not home. You don’t worry as much about what robbers might carry off if you have property insurance. Or if something more tragic happens, you know that after the despair, you will always have someone in your corner who will help you rebuild.
A vacation is meant to be a time of relaxation, not constant worry about what’s happening back home. By taking proactive steps—both simple and high-tech—you can significantly reduce the risk of home issues while you’re away.
So go ahead and catch those last few weeks of summer fun in the sun, knowing that your home is safe, sound, and waiting for your return.