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WHILE ON
Summer Vacation
With the spontaneous nature of summer excursions and extended out-of-town vacation plans in mind , you should have a strategy for properly securing and protecting your home while you are gone . Nothing could ruin your favorite getaway more than returning to a preventable disaster .
Maya Spence , an insurance agent at Jack Martin Insurance Advisors in West Annapolis , says that more often than not , preventing things like theft , burst pipes or water leaks is quick and easy . Follow her suggestions below to make sure your summer is memorable for all the right reasons .
ASK FOR HELP Ask a trusted friend or neighbor to check in on your house every couple of days to make sure things look OK . Consider asking them to park their car in your driveway so it appears that someone is home . KEEP PERSONAL INFORMATION PRIVATE Announcing vacation plans on social media tells people you know ( and people you don ’ t !) that your house is going to be vacant . All it takes is one share to spread your private information beyond your circle of contacts . Keep detailed travel plans off social media . Share posts about your travel with a small group of trusted contacts . PUT MAIL AND DELIVERIES ON HOLD Contact USPS , UPS , FedEx and the newspaper directly to put a hold on any deliveries . It ’ s easy to have delivery resumed when you return . Alternatively , have a neighbor collect and hold mail , newspapers , packages , and door flyers / hangers .
Lock Everything – Double and triple check that all doors , windows , garage doors and points of egress are locked and fastened . Don ’ t forget to use lock bars for
sliding doors and remove any spare keys you may have hidden outside . LIGHTS Try to set lights located by windows on a timer . A dark house , and even house that is always lit , could attract burglars . Keep curtains and blinds how you normally would when you are home . WATER If you are leaving for an extended period of time , it is always a good idea to locate and turn off the main water valve . POWER SURGES Prevent damage or total loss of your electronics appliances due to a power surge by unplugging TV ’ s , computers and stereos and / or connecting items to a good surge protector . THERMOSTAT Resist the urge to completely turn off thermostat . Instead set thermostat to 80 ° ( 55 ° degrees in winter ). INSURANCE Make sure your homeowners insurance policy covers items you may travel with , such as jewelry and electronics . Keep your insurance agents contact information handy so you can notify them in a timely manner of any possible losses or if you just have a coverage question .
According to the Insurance Information Institute ( III ) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation ( FBI ), 9 out of 10 burglary claims are completely preventable . Follow Maya ’ s suggestions to protect yourself from the inconvenience and expense of filing claims or replacing lost property , and of course , the heartache of losing something sentimental .
“ Like ” Jack Martin Insurance Advisors on Facebook , where you can find much more advice on staying safe this summer !
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GREENBOOK | SUMMER 2016