Taking a Vacation? How to Prep Your Apartment Beforehand
The holidays are a busy time of year for people packing up and heading out on the open road to visit friends and family. But even though Christmas and New Year’s have passed us by, there are still plenty of upcoming three-day weekends on the calendar, meaning that homes across the United States will be left empty while families are out at the beach or the snow, which means it’s even more important to look into protecting your home from possible break-ins.
There are about 2.5 million burglaries every year, carrying an average loss of about $2,500 per break-in, according to statistics from the FBI. This scary thought is something nobody wants to factor into their itinerary. However, there are ways in which you can keep your home safe from harm while you’re away.
Here are some tips to safeguard your apartment before you head out on a vacation.
Let Your Landlord Know
A good first step is to keep someone informed and in some cases, it may be in your lease agreement to let your landlord know when you’re heading out of town. Regardless of this, it still helps to keep them in the know of your plans as they can be on the lookout for any suspicious activity. Include your contact information as well as some details about your plans so they know if you’re able to be reached more actively.
Make Sure Insurance is Lined Up
While worrying about break-ins is one thing, worrying about leaking, flooding, and fires are another. You have no control while you’re gone, so sometimes it’s a waiting game until you get back to see if something has gone awry. Luckily there is insurance that can help keep your apartment safe, including student renters insurance that’s perfect for college students who make regular trips to their parents’ home across the state.
Having student renters insurance or regular renters insurance for those out of school can help to give you peace of mind when taking a trip. Renters insurance will protect you, your apartment, and everything in it from a number of potential hazards. While you can’t keep an eye on everything while you’re gone, it does help to know that what you’ve left behind for a few days is protected with comprehensive coverage.
Take Care of Parking
It may not come across in your plans, but parking is something that needs to be taken care of before you take off. If you’re taking a road trip, it won’t be an issue. But if you’re taking a cab or Uber to the airport, leaving your car behind, or just simply riding with someone else, you need a plan for your parked car that’ll be left behind.
First, take out all of the valuables you have in your car and roll up the windows completely. Try to move it to a covered or discreet spot if you can. This is also something you need to let your landlord know about so they don’t think something is suspicious about you being gone but your car is still behind.
Hold Your Mail
Even if you’re gone for a few days, it can help to request a temporary hold on your mail delivery. If your mail is accessible to the public and two or three days’ worth of letters and packages are inside, they could be easy prey for thieves. Someone can not only steal the mail itself, but use your personal information inside to gain even more access to things like your Social Security Number, login information, credit card information, and more.
Just go online and fill out a form detailing where you live and when you’ll be out of town on your vacation. The post office will hold your mail where you can pick it up when you get back home.
Ask a Friend or Neighbor to Check In on Things
If you have a neighbor or close friend you trust enough to give them a key or remote access to your apartment, then line someone up so they can see if everything is safe and sound. What’s more, having someone come by to water your plants, feed your fish, or make sure nothing is leaking is always helpful.
About Byrnes Agency
At Byrnes Agency, we offer insurance solutions that can be tailored to meet your specific needs. Whether you’re looking for personal policies or commercial coverage, we have the right coverage for you. To learn more about our products, contact us today at one of our two locations.
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Phone: (860) 774-8549
394 Lake Rd
Dayville, CT 06241
United States
info@byrnesagency.com
Hours of Operation: Monday- Friday 9:00am-5:00pm
Phone: (860) 886-5498
6 Consumers Avenue
Norwich, CT 06360
United States
info@byrnesagency.com
Hours of Operation: Monday- Friday 9:00am-5:00pm
Tags: Byrnes Agency, personal insurance, Preparing for Vacation, Renters Insurance, Student Renters Insurance, Vacation Prepping