The month of March brings the first day of spring and many a spring break trip! Here are some simple tips to help get you ready and keep you safe on your next adventure:
*RENTAL CARS: One of the most frequently asked questions around travel and insurance is whether you should buy the supplemental insurance offered by rental car companies. If you are staying in the US, typically your personal insurance will cover whatever car you may be driving BUT there is no one size fits all answer so feel free to call us with any questions. There are other considerations if you’re heading abroad – including Mexico so give us a call and we can walk you through what you need to know!
*IDS: Take pictures of your passports and IDs and upload those to a secure cloud application that you can access away from home. If you lose your wallet or your IDs, these will be extremely useful in getting home!
*CREDIT CARDS: Make a note of all your credit card issuer’s emergency numbers as well. That way you can freeze the account while you are away from home in the event they are stolen or lost.
*ALERT THE BANK: Let your bank and credit card issuers know you will be traveling. Many banks watch for fraudulent activity patterns including the card being used in an area that it typically is not. Give them a call or long onto their website to prevent your account from being flagged and possibly frozen.
*TURN OFF THE WATER: Turn off the water to your washer! Usually this is a lever, dial or handle near the machine and it is one of the easiest ways to prevent coming home to a serious mess!
*POLICE: Check with your local police or sheriff department to see if they have a home check program. The Powell Police Department does and you can easily sign up right on their website:
Powell Police House Watch. Delaware County Sheriff has one as well:
Sheriff House Check
*DELIVERIES: Stop your mail delivery with the USPS online at
Mail Hold. Stop your paper delivery as well and ask your neighbors to grab any packages that might arrive as well as any stray papers that might be accidentally delivered.
*HOME AUTOMATION: Consider investing in timers or connected light bulbs that you can control wirelessly to give the appearance of someone being home.
*SOCIAL MEDIA: Try to refrain from posting social media especially if your accounts are public! Anyone can see that you aren’t home and could take advantage of an unmonitored house. Either go completely private or just hold off posting all those great pictures until after you get back.
*THEFT: If you have property stolen while traveling, give us a call - it may be covered under your homeowner's or tenant's policy once you've paid your deductible. We are happy to walk you through the details!
Hope these tips are useful as you plan your next vacation - Happy Spring Break!