10 Tips to Keep Your Home Safe While on Vacation

The majority of home burglaries in California do not involve violence or the use of a weapon. The average dollar loss from a burglary in the United States is just over $2,000, and there are over 2 million burglaries in the U.S. every year.

Your California house is more than just an investment; it is a place where memories are made and dreams are built. Whether you are a first time home owner or celebrating many happy years in your dream home, we are here to help you protect the home you love and the life you’ve built. The good news is about 80% of home burglaries are considered preventable. As you plan your holiday travel, here are a few things to remember.

1. Most burglars are afraid of getting caught, and will only go through unlocked doors and windows.
2. Thieves love to see piled up newspapers on your lawn. It lets them know you aren’t home.
3. If a burglar sees that no lights are on, chances are no one is home.
4. Attractive ornaments or pricey “kids’ things” outside your home can indicate to a potential intruder that your house is full of valuables.
5. Cyber thieves hope you put your old financial records in the trash without shredding them, because they want to collect your personal information.
6. Leaving your cars unlocked and valuables inside is an invitation to a burglar—even if it is in your own driveway.
7. If you post your vacation pictures on Facebook while you are away, it lets burglars know that your home is unoccupied.
8. People who fail to lock their guns in a gun safe are more likely to get them stolen. Lock all guns in a cabinet and use trigger locks as well.
9. If do don’t tell your neighbor you will be gone, it is just one less person for the burglar to worry about.
10. If you have a security system, use it 100% of the time. Burglars will generally not enter a home with a security system.

Create and maintain a detailed household inventory, and call our office today. We can provide information that may help you determine if you have adequate insurance coverage on your home and belongings if, despite your good planning, the worst case scenario occurs.

At Leap / Carpenter / Kemps, Merced County’s largest locally-owned agency, we have an experienced staff of professionals who understand that each family has unique insurance needs and that the one-size-fits-all approach just doesn’t work.