August is a month that many people take vacations, but will you and your home and auto insurance be ready? We hope that everyone has a great vacation. There are however a few insurance items to think about. The first one is how are you going to get there. Will you be flying or driving? Either way, will you be renting a car?
What if I am renting a car will that affect my auto insurance?
Renting a car can be expensive, after renting the car you need to think about mileage, then they try to sell you insurance on the car. Do you need to buy the insurance on the car? Maybe not. For instance, are you renting the car in your name and have comp and collision for your owned vehicles? If so your insurance policy could cover you. Similar to having an accident in your own car, an accident in a rental car would subject you to the deductible. After that your insurance company would pick up the repair. Keep in mind that you would still have to pay for your deductible where as purchasing the rental insurance may be a zero deductible. One quirk of your car insurance policy is that it would not cover you in Mexico without an endorsement.
What about when I get to my destination, what does that mean for my home insurance?
Your home is still in jeopardy even when you are not in it. This could cause a claim to your home insurance. One thing to help keep your home safe is waiting till you return to post photos to social media. Criminals routinely monitor social media to see if homes are vacant. This lets them know when they can break in without anyone being home. Another way to watch your home when you are not there is to install smart doorbells and cameras that can be monitored and send alerts to your cell phone. Likewise, there are some products you can purchase like water sensors that can help you manage your home systems from vacation. Similarly it is a good idea to have someone you trust check in on your house so that you can make sure the home is secure and nothing dangerous is left on.
What if I think of any other insurance questions?
Give us a call at 412-344-2800 or reach out to us via our client center. You can also follow us on social media on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Twitter. We hope that everyone has enjoyed their summer so far and has a great rest of the summer. A reminder to everyone that September is life insurance awareness month. To get ready for that month we want to ask everyone to think about any life changes that may have increased your need for life insurance. Was there a change in jobs, a marriage, or children since the last time you looked at your life insurance? If so we can discuss that along with your vacation questions. Enjoy vacation and make sure that your home and auto insurance are prepared.
