If you’re fortunate enough to have a cottage or summer home, you know how stressful it can be to take care of two or more properties – especially when they may be far away from one another. The unfortunate reality is that you can’t be everywhere at once, but there are steps you can take to better protect your properties against emergencies.
Protecting your cottage:
Since most cottages are in heavily wooded areas or near water, there’s an increased risk of floods, falling trees, forest fires and other environmental hazards. When you can’t be there in person, keep an eye on the forecast and be sure your phone gets alerts for flood and weather warnings in the area. While you can’t stop Mother Nature, knowing what to expect will help you decide whether the drive is worth it to go set up sandbags or other precautionary measures.
Beyond the weather, theft is the biggest concern for your home-away-from-home. Since you may not be at the cottage for weeks at a time, ensure all your valuables – including ATVs, canoes, and other big-ticket summer toys – are securely locked up and out of sight so thieves won’t have any incentive to break in.
Protecting your home:
While you may not want to hook your cottage up with all the latest tech, smart technology can go a long way in protecting your home. Burglars are far less likely to break into smart, connected homes or homes with visible CCTV cameras. There are a number of options that allow you to check on your property while you’re away, including movement-detecting sensors and security cameras that connect to smartphone apps for 24/7 monitoring. When you’re away at the cottage, give a set of keys to a neighbour or friend you trust so, in a pinch, they can check on things if you suspect something may be wrong. You also may see a reduction in premiums with the addition of some of these smart monitoring solutions.
Whether you’re there or not, sometimes the unexpected is unavoidable – and that’s why having insurance for all of your properties is essential. Talk your MacLeod Lorway broker to learn why there’s no better protection for your investments than comprehensive insurance.