Precautions to Take Before You Go on Holiday

If you're going on holiday for a week or more you'll be leaving your house to fend for itself. To prevent you from having to rely on home insurance it's important that you make sure you leave it so that no one will break in and so that nothing is on that needn't be. This will also ensure that you don't waste electricity and will keep your utility print as low as your carbon footprint.

The first thing to check before you leave you house is that all cookers, ovens and hobs are off. In the rush for a plane or taxi it can be all to easy to overlook the hob and returning to a pile of ash where your house once was can really put a dampener on an otherwise relaxing holiday. For this reason you should make it a routine whenever you go away to check all cooking appliances are off before you leave which is the number one cause of fires and one of the most common home insurance claims.

As well as cooking appliances however it's also important to turn off all other electrical appliances as these too can cause fires and other problems if they overheat and will also waste energy while you're away. Again go round and check that TVs, games consoles, CD players and everything else are turned off. Make sure that they're turned fully off and not just on standby which can use just as much energy as having them on. For this reason it's best to turn everything off at the wall rather than just turning off the appliance itself and this will also make it much safer as there'll be no electricity at the wall at all.

Something else that's commonly forgotten is taps and plugs which can cause a flood if left leaking which is another common reason people end up using their home insurance as well as being an expensive waste of water. Make sure that all taps and shower heads are turned completely off and take the plugs out of the sink just in case. If your taps continue to drip despite your best efforts then it is likely that you need to change the washers so make sure you check for leaks before you set off. Alternatively you can cut off the water supply at the stop cock.

You should also ensure to turn off any heating and make sure that none is set to come on automatically. One thing you may wish to leave on however is an auto-timed system for your lights which can come on in the evenings to create the impression of a full house and prevent burglaries and theft in your absence. Failing this it may be a good idea to arrange for a friend or neighbour to do something similar as the house will otherwise be advertising itself as unoccupied. A neighbour can also come round to move any build up of post which is also a giveaway. Similarly you should make sure that all windows and doors are locked properly with the keys so that they won't open by being pushed. Make sure you remember to check even small windows that are high up - if someone's desperate enough to get in then any opening becomes a door.

With all this in place you will hopefully come home to a house that's just the way you left it feeling fresh and relaxed and with no reason to claim on home insurance.

Kevin Oclaray Insurance is a Liberty Mutual Insurance representative in Folsom, CA and his website is committed to helping you find a comprehensive, cost-effective personal insurance program for your auto, home and life.