Pro-tips for property owners. Tip #4: Holiday precautions
Heading out for a holiday or needing to leave your home for a bit? There are some easy steps you can take to make sure your home doesn’t become a victim to unwanted attention without you.
Take holiday precautions
When you’re planning to leave your home for a holiday or any reason, there are practical steps you can take to keep it safe and secure. It’s not just about locking doors or turning off appliances. We’ve got straightforward advice to help you relax, knowing your home is looked after while you’re away. Here’s how to prepare your property for your absence, which also helps in maintaining your insurance cover.
Engage a Trusted Person
Ask a neighbour, friend, or family member to look after your property. They can collect mail, water plants, and make the property appear lived in. This is important for keeping your home safe and meets the requirement for regular check-ups, especially for holiday homes.
Utilise Smart Home Technology
Investing in smart home technology can offer peace of mind while you’re away. Smart lights can be programmed to turn on and off at set times, mimicking the presence of someone at home. Smart water sensors can alert you or a trusted contact to any potential leaks, reducing the risk of water damage.
Garden and Exterior Maintenance
Ensure your garden and the exterior of your property are well-maintained before leaving. Overgrown gardens can signal an unoccupied home, attracting unwanted attention. If you’re away for the long haul, maybe hire someone to look after your gardens to keep things looking loved.
Secure Valuables
If possible, secure valuables in a safe or take them with you. This reduces the risk of theft and ensures that your most precious items are not left unattended in an empty property.
Update Your Contact Information
Ensure your insurance provider has your current contact information, including an emergency contact number. This allows us to reach you promptly if any issues arise with your property while you’re away.
Review Your Policy
Before leaving, review your policy details to ensure you understand your cover and any actions you need to take to maintain this coverage. If you have any questions or need clarification, it’s a good idea to contact us for peace of mind.
By following these steps, your home will remain secure, ready for your return from any adventure.
Make sure your unoccupied property qualifies for cover
On the subject of taking holidays, perhaps you’re wondering about cover for your unoccupied property? If your property is left empty, vacant, or unoccupied, you don’t need to notify us. But there are some conditions.
- For rental and owner-occupied properties, your coverage remains unchanged for up to 60 consecutive days of being unoccupied. However, if unoccupied for over 60 days, a standard excess of $5,000 applies to all claims, reduced to $1,000 if there’s a break-in with a professionally installed (and monitored) alarm*.
- For owner-occupied homes, after 60 days, coverage is limited to major risks like fire, explosion, and natural disasters, excluding theft and vandalism.
- Holiday homes can be unoccupied for over 60 days, but require regular inspections, maintenance, mail clearance, water shut-off, and secure locking. Failure to meet these conditions results in a standard $5,000 excess, reduced to $1,000 for break-ins with a professional alarm system* that provides external alerts.
*Surveillance cameras only do not meet this criteria – the system needs the ability to provide an external alert (audible or direct to a monitoring company)
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This article is only meant as a general guide. We recommend reading the full policy wording for the full details of the coverage.