Over the holiday period the majority of us are guilty of eating too much, drinking too much and spending too much. One thing we are also guilty of is not protecting our homes, health, cars and businesses as we focus on our families, festivities and having fun.
Before we kick up our heels, it is prudent to be mindful of carefully preparing for the holiday season so that you can enjoy it to the full.
Here are ten easy and effective ways to make sure you’re covered this year:
- The number of burglaries increase dramatically during the holiday season so make sure your home and contents policy adequately covers you in the event of a break in.
- List your possessions in detail with serial numbers, model numbers and also think about having them coded to prove ownership.
- Take photographs of your treasured possessions, jewellery and artwork.
- Reassess your level of cover after the holiday period in case you need to include any new gifts received.
- Check your home and contents policy to see whether you are covered if you have friends house sitting while you are away or if you are away from home for a longer period than anticipated.
- An overflowing mailbox with unread newspapers and rubbish bins left out on the street screams “out of town”. Ask a friend or neighbour to manage both for you or consider stopping your mail over this period.
- Make sure you are covered with adequate travel and car insurance.
- Have your car serviced before you hit the road.
- If you have a business, make sure you are covered for unexpected events and by considering business interruption insurance to cover loss of profit while your business is not able to operate.
- Be mindful of the threat of bushfires and other natural disaster occurrences that can happen during the summer period. Make sure your bushfire plan is prepared ahead of time.
The old adage "if you fail to plan, you plan to fail" comes into play as we approach the Christmas break. Planning is key when it comes to protecting your home, car, business, health and most importantly your family, with the right level of insurance cover this holiday season.