Home Insurance While Travelling

Thanks Ian & Sue
We will be paying a gardener to have the yard well maintained while we are away so the home won't look a likely target. The house is otherwise secured with security lighting and deadlocks on all external windows & doors. I know these precautions will keep only the honest crooks out!

Hi DW
Another excellent suggestion! We do have police, ambulance and the fire brigade here and I can't imagine too many of them would be permanent residents. So a definite option which I will follow up.

A few years ago our home in Brisbane was being rented and when tenants left we put place on the market.

It did not sell quickly and 3 months after the tenants left the hose on the dishwasher burst and flooded the house.

Initially insurance assessor agreed to cover damage but later the insurance company refused due to the vacant house clause.

After much debate they finally agreed when we were able to point out to them that the hose could have burst if we were away for the weekend.
The telling part was our absence did not cause the damage to occur.

We now have friends come and stay for short periods if we are away for any time.

Pedro

It shouldn't be too hard, we live in a small town about 2 hours south east of Melbourne & have had no problems.

That beats having someone, that you really do not know that well, having free run of your house without supervision. We don't have anything to hide but blowed if I would do it. Even for one night. Family, yes. Maybe a mate that I have known since 1974.

$5 per month is an excellent option. I must remember that.

Phil

That's a great bargain Philip - if Lynton's insurer offers it so cheap as Phil says; go for it. Otherwise Lynton, you may have children or trusted grandchildren who could come and stay for a few days periodically to check that all is well and break up the vacant period. Wise to have someone such as a neighbour or family check the place over inside and out about once a week anyway. Not just for malicious damage, but little things like a leaking water pipe which can do untold damage if left.

Motherhen

We have always had someone in the house while absent for more than a few days. Has been friends, neighbours and house-sitters and all arrangements have worked well - our house sitters have been mature age people sourced via the web (and checked via references and phone conversations etc) and they have been great. The only downside to house-sitters is the extra effort to get the place clean and tidy before we go away.

But one year it just seemed OK to leave the house locked up. Our son would come out and check every week. Unfortunately our house was watched by some undesirables and when they ascertained that the house was indeed vacant they moved in and helped themselves. Insurance did cover our material loss (after a protracted hassle) and we did get some stuff back. And the only cost penalty re insurance was having to pay a slightly higher premium and excess for the next year.

BUT I would much rather go to the effort of having house-sitters any day than having to put back the pieces after having been burgled.

Cheers,

Val.