Insurance and Preparation Give You Peace of Mind on Your Vacation

6/30/2010 8:54:43 AM

Our vacation check list will help you minimize your potential for an insurance claim.

Preparations In Advance:

¨ Make sure your car insurance is paid. If driving to Canada, obtain a Canadian non-resident ID card from your insurance agent.

¨ If you will be renting a car and want to be fully covered, it is recommended that you purchase the “collision damage waiver”. By doing that if you damage the car in any way you can just turn in the keys and walk away from the rental agency.

¨ Double-check your life, health and homeowners insurance coverages.

¨ Write down the 24 hour claim number for your insurance policies and your agent’s phone number, and take them with you.

¨ Write down phone numbers for reporting lost or stolen credit cards or debit cards (do not carry them in your purse or wallet).

¨ Remove non-essential cards or information from your wallet or purse.

¨ If driving, have your car checked and tuned up one week before your departure.

¨ Obtain or renew passports (remember you now need passports to travel to Canada & Mexico).

¨ Inform police of your travel plans if you will be away for an extended period of time.

¨ Notify a trusted neighbor that you will be away and ask them to watch your house, or arrange for a house sitter.

¨ Make arrangements to board pets or leave them with a friend.

¨ Write down emergency phone numbers to leave with neighbors, house sitter and/or pet boarder/sitter.

¨ Stop newspaper delivery and have the post office hold your mail, or ask a neighbor to collect it every day.

¨ Have someone mow your lawn and water your plants.

¨ Remove valuables from your home and store them in a safe deposit box.

¨ Be sure you have enough prescription medication.

¨ Prepare a first aid kit to take with you.

Preparations Immediately Before Departure:

¨ Use timers to turn lights and a radio on and off at appropriate times daily. Tune your radio to a talk station to give the impression that you are home.

¨ Leave shades, blinds and drapes in normal positions.

¨ Turn down water heater to lowest or pilot setting.

¨ Turn off gas or electric for appliances that will not be needed while you are gone.

¨ Turn off water for washer and dishwasher.

¨ Turn telephone bell down or off completely. 

¨ Make sure your answering machine message does not indicate that you are on vacation.

¨ Remove items from your porch and lawn.

¨ Move valuables so they cannot be seen from porch windows.

¨ Lock all doors and windows, paying particular attention to the basement, garage, attic and sliding glass doors.