If you are heading on holiday soon, you will want to ensure that you check your insurance or you could risk voiding it.
And there is one thing you need to consider before clicking that book button and jetting off, advises Confused.com home and lifestyle insurance expert Matthew Harwood.
Harwood explains: If you’re leaving your home for a prolonged period of time, as a priority you must notify your insurer. Most policies cover you for leaving your home for up to 30 days. However, in most cases, anything over this must be declared.
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“When a property is left empty, the chances of theft or damage could increase. A pipe may burst, for example, and no one is there to notice it. Additionally, unoccupied homes may become noticeable to opportunists too.
“If you plan to leave your home empty for longer than 30 days, you should consider an unoccupied house insurance policy. This can cover you for up to three months, six months, nine months or a year. You might also be able to extend your cover if you're unexpectedly away for longer. For example, your house is on sale and is taking longer than planned to sell.
“It's best to try and accurately calculate how long you may be away from home, so you avoid paying too much for cover.”
What happens if you fail to notify your home insurance provider?
If you fail to notify your provider, it could invalidate your policy, explains Confused.com's Harwood adding: Should the worst happen, if you need to make a claim, you may be rejected because you've broken the terms of the policy. It’s always best to keep your provider informed to ensure you’re covered.”
What is the best way to prepare your home if you plan to leave it empty?
For stress-free travel, there are a few ways you can prepare your home to reduce the risk of damage or theft as much as possible. Confused.com home and lifestyle insurance expert Matthew Harwood explains,
Improve your home security
“Installing a burglar alarm is likely to deter potential thieves. You should also make sure your doors have robust door locks to prevent break-ins.”
Check your pipes
“To reduce the risk of water damage, it’s important to keep your pipes from freezing, especially in the winter. There are a number of things you can do to prevent this. One, ensure you have your boiler serviced before you leave. Secondly, you can turn off your water at the stopclock and drain the water from your taps.”
Check on your property where possible
“Lastly, keeping your home in a good state of repair is also a good idea. If possible, checking on the house now and again to ensure there are no issues should reduce the risk of bigger problems occurring.”
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