Condominium insurance is meant to give you peace of mind at all times, especially when you are on vacation. During the winter months, many Canadians enjoy sunny vacations to escape the long and sometimes gruelling winter. The last thing that a condo owner wants is a phone call from a family member or friend saying that something has gone wrong back home at their condo unit.
In addition to checking off items on your vacation checklist, make sure you check off the preventive listed practices below for your condo unit:
1. If possible – turn off your condo unit’s water supply and drain the pipes
The most common kind of loss to condo property is water damage, and the damage to your condo unit can be much more severe if you are away and a burst pipe goes undetected.
2. Keep the heat on
You may think you are saving some money by turning your condo unit’s heat off, but this could end up costing you more in the long run – and possibly void your condo insurance coverage in the event of a water damage loss. During the heating season, pipes can freeze and break causing a great amount of damage to your condominium and your wallet.
3. Make your condo unit look occupied
Strategically keep certain lights on near windows and doors. If you are away for long and/or frequent periods of time, it may be worthwhile to invest in a timer. Have a neighbour or trusted individual pick up newspapers and flyers from your doorstep.
Extra Tip!
If you take a vacation during the winter months and have a property that requires snow removal, have a designated person remove snow from pathways or the driveway.
4. Pets
Make sure your pets are well taken care of while you are away. They could be up to unusual behaviour that could damage your condo property when you’re not present.
5. Have someone you trust regularly visit your condo
Did you know, that for your condo insurance policy to remain valid, your condominium unit must be regularly inspected by a competent person?
Ask a neighbour, friend or loved one to keep an eye on your condo.
Most condo insurance policies cover insurable damage for up to 96 hours for un-occupancies during the heating season between inspections.
Our licensed condo brokers designed the Condo Gold insurance package to provide peace of mind for condo unit owners across Ontario.
6. Tell your concierge or property manager that you will be away
Your concierge or condo property manager should have your best interest in mind. Make them aware that you are away, so they can take action if they detect any unusual behaviour surrounding your condominium property.
7. Invest in an alarm or monitoring system
Depending on what type of condominium you occupy or if you travel regularly, it may be a worthwhile investment.
8. Don’t broadcast on Social Media
It may sound like a great idea to announce to everyone on Facebook or Twitter that you will be getting in some rays down south – however, you might be posting pictures or videos to your friends, family and potential burglars.
There are well-known cases of criminals who scroll through the social media fee to find entry points to properties or target people who share pictures of high-value items.
We hope you enjoy your vacation, get some well-deserved rest and get back refreshed to the place you call home, exactly as you left it.
If you have any questions or need more information, contact your CondoGold Insurance Broker, as they are your most trusted and reputable source for condo insurance information.