Talk to your insurance broker before traveling
Ok, it’s cold. It’s Saskatchewan and it’s winter. If we can, we want to get away somewhere warm. Sipping a cold beverage pool side or on the beach – ahhhh – that’s the life.
After your break, you come home – a friend picks you up at the airport with winter jackets and a warm car (in a perfect world) and they take you home. You open the front door and you are greeted by an ice palace. The furnace quit, the pipes burst – and you’re in trouble.
Take care of business before you leave.
General home insurance in Regina when traveling
In general, if you are leaving for an extended period of time (it could be 4 days or 7 days or 10 days – depending on the wording of your insurance policy) during the regular heating season (not winter – that starts on Dec 21st and we all know the furnace is on before that) you must do one of three things to have insurance coverage for the damage:
- Shut off the water. Drain the pipes. Drain the hot water heater, toilets and anything else that could possibly hold water.
- Have a centrally monitored alarm system with a cold temperature alarm that will show the furnace has stopped (and a contact the alarm company can call as a backup when you’re not here to get it fixed).
- Have someone check your home every day you are gone to make sure things are OK.
Again, these are very general guidelines – check with your insurance broker in Regina to get the specific requirements of the insurance company that insures you. EVERY INSURANCE COMPANY HAS DIFFERENT GUIDELINES!
Make sure that happy holiday isn’t ruined by a rude homecoming….
Meet with your insurance broker in Regina
Now, if you need to find me – I’ll be the one on the beach with 30 sunscreen….
Thank you for reading,
Dave Arnold