Homeowners aren't taking basic security steps before leaving on vacation
More than 70% of homeowners say they’ll take a vacation sometime before the end of December.
Almost 80% of U.S. homeowners are planning to take at least one vacation before the end of 2022, according to Selective Insurance Group, Inc., which noted that 44% are planning trips that are a week or longer. Although 59% of homeowners have a home security system or device, just 49% put them to use while they are away on holiday.
“Vacations are a great time to create new memories, but they are quickly forgotten if you return to a damaged or burglarized home. Taking sensible home safety preparations before leaving is as important as packing the right items in your suitcase,” Allen Anderson, senior vice president of personal lines at Selective Insurance, said in a release. “Our research shows that home security systems and devices are widely under-used across the country, but they are powerful mitigation defenses against unoccupied home theft, fire, and water leaks.”
While on vacation, the most common home security measure taken is locking all the windows, Selective Insurance found. Having someone check on their home, putting lights on a timer and hiring a house sitter are other common security precautions vacationing homeowners take.
More alarming for the insurance industry, just 21% of homeowners shut their water off before leaving for vacation. Water damage is a major loss driver, and one in 50 homeowners files a water-damage claim each year, according to Forbes and the Insurance Information Institute. The average cost of these repairs: $11,098.
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