A home watch service could benefit homeowner’s insurance. By ensuring that your property is in safe hands, you could reap many rewards.
What Is Home Watch?
As the mercury starts to rise and Florida’s humid summer arrives, many local residents like to migrate northward to enjoy a few months of cooler temperatures or even take a vacation abroad. This means leaving your beautiful South Florida home vacant. In this region, this is a common occurrence which has necessitated the home watch industry.
Another scenario is the vacation home. Many of these are vacant for a large portion of the year and – as one of your most treasured possessions – it must be looked after in your absence.
Home watch services can keep your home safe while you are not there. There are several benefits of having a home watch service for seasonal residents; here are some of the major ones that affect your home insurance coverage.
A Home Watch Company Can Benefit Your Homeowners Insurance
Some homeowner’s insurance companies require that you purchase a “vacant home” policy to provide cover for a home that is unoccupied for a 30-day period or longer. Many of these policies have additional clauses which require you to keep the property maintained, the utilities active and have regular inspections. The reason for these clauses is that insurance companies know that a home left vacant for a certain period is at a higher risk for burglary and sustained damage.
A home watch service will take care of the requirements your insurer requests. In the event of a claim, insurance companies have been known to interview neighbors and check utility bills to find out if the requirements have been met. A reputable home watch service uses sophisticated software to keep records of home visits to satisfy the insurer’s demands.
Reduce Insurance Policy Risks
Leaving a home vacant is not only a burglary risk; you risk exposing the property to maintenance issues, preventable property damage, and more. Weekly inspections will prevent those 30-day policies from affecting your premium personal property coverage.
Prevent Property Damage
Not only will your Florida home ostensibly be taken care of and not appear to be left unattended, but the service will pick up any maintenance issues before any serious damage is sustained. Imagine a leak in your swimming pool that – if left for a month – could cause water levels to drop significantly, causing damage to the pool structure and finishes – resulting in a potential insurance claim. A home watch service would pick up the drop in the water level before it becomes too serious, and damage could be averted or minimal.
The damage from mold or insect and vermin infestations will also be minimized and halted when a property management company is regularly doing a visual inspection of a home. Handymen or pest control experts can be called in immediately and the problem can be resolved before you return to enjoy your home.
Reduce Theft Risk
It is no secret that burglars watch houses to see who is home and who isn’t. Having a home watch provider visiting regularly will make it appear that the home is not vacant or unattended. Your belongings will be under constant surveillance – from the right people!
As your insurance agent will verify, many aspects of your insurance coverage will benefit from having the services of home watch professionals, including your coverage limit, flood insurance, replacement costs, structures coverage and even renters’ insurance. Contact Florida Home Watch Services to find out how you can have peace of mind knowing your property is cared for and your insurance coverage is unimpeachable. Proof that a professional home watch service could benefit homeowner’s insurance.
