During the holidays, you might make travel plans to see loved ones or take a much-needed vacation. In the midst of packing and planning, it can be easy to overlook an important part of leaving home – protecting it while you're away.

In today's blog post, we offer several important tips for keeping your home or apartment safer during the holidays, especially if you plan to travel far from home. We also discuss the importance of having reliable and effective Personal Insurance policies to protect your home and personal property throughout the year, and how partnering with Aegis Insurance & Financial Services can help.

– Invest in Smart Home Security

An effective way to protect your home is by investing in smart home security devices. Smart doorbells and digital cameras are great at monitoring any kind of activity around your home, whether it's strangers at the front door, package deliveries, or animals roaming your yard.

These new technologies give you real-time alerts and allow you to interact with people at your front door, no matter where you are. They also help scare off package thieves or property vandals, keeping your property safer and more secure.

– Ask Friends and Neighbors for Help

Your friends and neighbors are an excellent resource for keeping your home or apartment safe while you're away. You can ask trusted friends or friendly neighbors to keep an eye on your home while you're out of town, and to reach out if anything seems suspicious or unusual.

Neighbors are also helpful in collecting newspapers, mail, and any packages that arrive while you're out of town so nothing piles up during your trip. This makes your home much less of a target for burglars who look for signs of an empty home.

– At Night, Light Up Your House

Even if your home doesn't have piles of mail or newspapers stacked up in front, burglars might still be tipped off that no one's home if it's always dark at night. Before leaving town, consider adding timers to light switches or using programmable light controls to make sure a few outdoor and indoor lights come on just during the evening hours.

Using light timers helps create the impression that someone's home, adding a layer of protection to your house. You can also use motion detector lights outside the house to deter any predatory animals or vandals from wandering around on your property.

– Test Your Alarms and Detectors

Before leaving home for the holidays, conduct a thorough check of your home's security features. Test your house alarm, smoke detectors, and carbon monoxide detectors to ensure they're in good working order and that the batteries are functional.

The lights and sounds from your house alarm or smoke detectors will help alert neighbors of a problem, potentially saving your house as well as neighboring homes. This proactive step safeguards your property, and also provides peace of mind while you're gone.

The Importance of Personal Insurance

Implementing safety measures is important before leaving on your holiday trip, but it's just as important to make sure you have the right kinds of Personal Insurance in place to protect your property.

These types of policies should be a key part of your personal insurance portfolio:

A comprehensive Homeowners Insurance policy covers your home structure as well as your personal belongings like furniture, clothes, jewelry, and appliances. It provides financial protection against events such as fire, theft, lightning strikes, and other natural disasters.

With Homeowners insurance, you can have the financial resources needed to cover the cost of rebuilding and replacing your possessions.

If you're renting a home or apartment, carrying Renters Insurance is essential. Although your landlord's insurance will cover building damages or losses, it doesn't include the loss or damage to your personal belongings as a renter.

Renters Insurance fills the gap by offering coverage for your stolen or damaged possessions, and liability protection in case someone is hurt while in your rented home or apartment.

Although Homeowners and Renters Insurance are vital to protecting your personal property and home, neither policy will help if your home or apartment is damaged by flooding. Flood Insurance is a vital policy to have whether you're a homeowner, or a property renter.

Flood Insurance is specifically designed to cover the cost of replacing or repairing damaged or lost contents, as well as home repairs if you own a home. Without this coverage, you and your loved ones could spend tens of thousands of dollars covering these repair and replacement costs out of pocket.

Partner With Aegis to Protect Your Home

Before you leave for the holidays, take the time to secure your home and protect your personal belongings. By implementing these safety tips and making sure you have the Personal Insurance you need, you can enjoy your trip with peace of mind that your property is secure.

At Aegis Insurance & Financial Services, we understand the importance of protecting what matters most, so we offer a wide range of Personal Insurance policies that protect your property and family. Our experienced agents help identify potential coverage gaps and create tailored policies to ensure your residence and personal assets are fully protected.

Contact Aegis today to speak with our Personal Insurance agents at 713-850-7622, or fill out our online form to request a free consultation!