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Bad planning can wreck a holiday

This week Friday, schools across the country will close down for a slightly shorter than usual summer holiday of just more than four weeks to accommodate the dictates of the Soccer World Cup next year. Next week is the start of the traditional “builder’s holiday,” when South Africa just about closes down. But it is also a time of high risk that calls for decent planning.

Nothing spoils a holiday more than finding out that your home has been broken into or a leaking roof has damaged your possessions. Even worse is discovering, too late, that your insurance company will not pay because you are not correctly insured.

Gari Dombo, managing director of Alexander Forbes Insurance, says that “if you want an undisturbed holiday with your family, secure your home and make sure that there are no gaps in your insurance cover”.

In short, “there is quite a bit that you need to think about, and do, if you are to enjoy your well-earned break without aggravation” says Dombo.

Here are a few tips to avoid nasty disturbances at home while on holiday:

·       Ensure that all the security arrangements required by your insurer are installed at your home. For example: alarm, armed response, security doors, etc.
·       Check that your house alarm is in working condition.
·       Valuables (such as jewellery) left at home should be stored in a safe or deposited in a bank vault.
·       Inform family, friends or a trustworthy neighbour of your holiday plans. Request that they switch on lights, cut the lawn, feed pets and remove the newspaper from the driveway.
·       If you do not have a person staying on the premises, it is often a good idea to: empty the fridge and freezer, check the geyser for leaks, ensure that plugs are not left in sinks with leaking taps, and switch off geysers and stoves at the main distribution box.
·       Make sure all gutters and drains are clear. Blocked drains often lead to leaking roofs, causing damage to the interior of your house while you are away.
·       Ensure that all the possessions in your home are correctly insured, taking into account additional purchases that have been made during the year.
·       Make sure any vehicles left on the property are locked up in a secured garage. Removing the battery, wheels or distributor is also an effective deterrent against theft.

And after your home is secured, Dombo advises people to consider the security of any property that they take on holiday with them.

“If your vehicle or the cabana you have hired on the South Coast is broken into, you could lose valuable possessions while away,” he says, and suggests that people take out an All Risks insurance package “covering everything you take with you on holiday, 24/7 worldwide”.

In the event of taking out an All Risks cover:

·       Make sure that the description of the property it has insured is accurate and that it is insured for the full replacement value.
·       Consider increasing the general unspecified cover for clothing and personal effects and any general portable property such as a caravan or camping equipment.
·       Make provision for any new portable items that you may purchase over the holiday period. These include digital cameras, cellphones, sporting equipment, etc.
·       Ensure that valuations of these items are on file before you leave. This will ensure that you experience no delay in settlement for valuables.

While this seems like rather a long checklist, getting the right cover in place and ensuring that your maintenance, security and valuations match your cover, can make the difference between an undisturbed summer break and a holiday you would care not to remember.

 

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