BUSINESS & FINANCE :: APRIL/MAY 2007

Going on Vacation? Protect Your Home & Yourself

By: Lisa Broadbent-DiOssi

Experts from Realtor, Jenn Barrow’s Newsletter:

Insider Tips for Healthy, Wealthy and Happy Living….

Each year thousand of vacationers experience the humiliating, degrading, and sometimes-frightful effects of crime. Statistics indicate personal theft is a more common, menacing crime then personal assault.

Although summer and holidays are the popular time for vacation, anytime you travel for business or pleasure, you can become a target by an unscrupulous, sinister group of people. Many of them are watching and waiting for just the right opportunity to strike.

Here are a few helpful tips you can use to dramatically reduce your changes of becoming a victim:

When leaving your home, double check all doors and window locks, and invest in slide lock protection for sliding doors, which is a frequent point of entry for burglars. The locks cost less than a dollar and simply screw into your window frame. Garage windows and doors should be also secured.
Ask a trusted friend to stop by your home at different times or use a house sitter while you are away. Ask them to turn on lights at night or consider buying a light timer set for the evening. Setting up multiple timers in alternating rooms works best. Radio timers are also a good idea.
Temporarily cancel newspaper subscriptions and postpone mail delivery. Or have someone pick up the mail and newspaper on a daily basis.
Engrave your name or an identifiable number on large valuables. It makes them less attractive to burglars and makes the items easier to recover if stolen.
Consider installing an alarm system, which will serve not only as protection, but may qualify you for a discount on your homeowner’s insurance policy.
If you have more than one car, consider parking your second vehicle in your driveway while you are away. If you will be away for more than a week, ask a friend to “relocate” your car a few times during your absence.
Move expensive electronic equipment away from the windows where they might be visible.
Don’t give your home the “closed-down” look by completely shutting drapes and blinds.
Make sure your homeowners insurance policy is paid and suits your current needs. This also is true for tenants insurance if you rent.
Consider purchasing identity theft protection prior to going on vacation. This will protect you in recovering your identity should it become stolen.
Arrange for lawn and landscaping services if your trip will be longer than a week.
Never leave spare keys hidden under doormats or anywhere outside your home.
If you’re departing from a local airport, don’t write your personal address on your luggage tags. Use a business address instead.

While on vacation:

Use a hotel safe to store valuable items instead of leaving them lying around the hotel room. Valuables should also be insured on your homeowners’ policy.
Keep the entry and balcony doors locked and use the deadbolts and chains whenever possible.
Don’t open the door to anyone. Even if a hotel repairman shows up, call the front desk to verify the repairman has been sent.
Don’t leave keys lying around when you are at the pool or beach.
When walking, know who is around you at all times. Don’t look like a victim; walk with a purpose. If you are bumped check your wallet and or purse immediately.
In a restaurant, do not leave your purse on the floor, hanging on the back of a chair or unattended at anytime.
If you rent a car, be sure that the rental car agency isn’t advertised anywhere on the car. Tourists and travelers are frequently targeted by these means.
Always lock your car, even if you will be gone for just a few minutes.
At night, park in a well light, visible place. If some one seems to be following you to your car, walk past the vehicle and find help.

All it takes is a little common sense and forethought, and you can measurably reduce your chances of becoming a victim of crime.

Lisa Broadbent-DiOssi is an agency owner with Nationwide Insurance. There are two locations serving New Castle County: 20 Polly Drummond Hill Road, Newark, DE 19711 and 715 Greenbank Road, Wilmington, DE 19808. Lisa is a third generation agent with twenty years experience in the insurance industry. Born and raised in New Castle County, she is the Past President of the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors of New Castle County (NAIFA -NCC), Vice President-Elect of the NAIFA Delaware, Leadership In Life Institute (LILI) moderator for the state of Delaware and has obtained her Life Underwriters Training Council Fellowship.

References:
*Insider tips for Healthy Living, http://www.JennBarrow.com, 302-245-1730.
** Insurance Information Institute and http://www.ircweb.org/News/20060628.pdf