Owning a vacation home is an accomplishment worth celebrating for most. However, as this isn’t your primary residence, these properties are more likely to become the targets of robbery. Whether you plan on dropping into your second home regularly, or you have to lock up the doors for months on end, take proper precautions to safeguard your vacation home with the right NJ High-Value Homeowners Insurance. Further, follow these helpful tips.
Risks
Burglaries
Depending on where your vacation home is located, the likelihood of theft varies. Remote locations are rarely targeted as they are often too far away. According to Christine Karpinski, vacation home rental author, “Robbers are a lazy bunch. They tend to go for the low-hanging fruit.”
That being said, naturally, the LA Times states that you should lock all locks, secure all access to your property through gates and windows, and install and activate an alarm system.
Maintenance
If a pipe was to burst or a rain gutter became flooded, this could have detrimental effects on the home. Since you won’t be there the majority of the year, these issues take priority.
Solutions
Hire a Designated Caretaker
It may be worth hiring a caretaker to regularly check on your home or homes while you are away. Or, you could enlist the help of a friendly neighbor. Ensure contact information is exchanged with neighbors who live next to your vacation home to alert you if something looks suspicious. If anything is delivered to the home, kindly ask them to pick it up so the house doesn’t look vacant.
Make the Home Look Lived in
Consider programming TV’s and lights to turn on and off at random times. Or, leave the radio on a talk station so it sounds like a natural conversation to potential intruders. Next, place foot locks on all but one door and make sure lights are on upstairs, as well as downstairs, if applicable. Lastly, if you have a home phone, turn down the volume of the ringer so unanswered calls can’t be heard.
At Provident Protection Plus Insurance Agency, we want to ensure the safety of your vacation home. Our specialty coverage for high-net worth homeowners seeks to protect your valuable assets and multiple properties to give you peace of mind. For more information, call us today at (888) 990-0526.