Your complete fall insurance checklist

Making apple cider, shopping for cozy sweaters, sipping pumpkin spiced lattes and preparing for Halloween may be some of the activities on your fall checklist. However, we also recommend having a fall insurance checklist to ensure you have taken steps to protect your home and possessions for the winter months ahead. To assist you with this, we’ve outlined a few key points to consider throughout the autumn season.

Fall tends to be a season where people enter new phases in their lives. Many post-secondary students leave home for the first time in their pursuit of further education. During this exciting time, there are a few insurance-related matters to keep in mind. For example, if a pipe bursts in your dorm and the resulting water damage destroys your belongings including your smartphone, laptop and other electronics, would you have insurance to replace your items? If you’re a post-secondary student, or a parent of one, we’ve compiled some information that can help you determine if you have adequate insurance coverage or if you should make some adjustments such as purchasing tenants insurance.

As the temperature cools, you may start to retire summer ‘toys’ such as boats, motorcycles or RVs. Before you store your seasonal vehicles away for the winter, it’s a good idea to perform a few maintenance tasks on these vehicles to ensure they stay in good condition as they hibernate. Cleaning the inside and outside of your seasonal vehicles, removing water from your boat’s engine or RV’s plumbing system, and checking your motorcycle’s tire pressure are a few of the maintenance tips highlighted in our blog on preparing your summer ‘toys’ for winter.

With Thanksgiving and other holiday festivities approaching, we recommend you review important insurance-related information when it comes to leaving your home unoccupied or vacant, as well as precautions you can take to reduce your chances of water damage. If you’re a ‘snowbird’ who retreats to sunny, warm destinations during the winter months, we have a few tips that can help you ensure your home and vehicle are supervised while you’re away, such as having a trusted friend or family member check on your property every 24 hours.

While the winter months bring with them the excitement of additional holidays, for many Canadians, winter also comes with freezing temperatures and snow storms. By taking actions to winterize your home, you can help reduce the chances of burst pipes, broken eavestroughs and downspouts, water damage and cold air infiltrating your home. Don’t forget to take steps to safeguard the use of your fireplace as well, to avoid potential fires and carbon monoxide poisoning. If applicable, you will also want to take measures to prepare your cottage or cabin for winter as well.

It’s always a good idea to make sure your vehicle is prepared for roadside emergencies as winter driving conditions can wreak havoc on the roads. It can sometimes take a while to gather all the recommended emergency items for your vehicle, such as a first aid kit, flashlights, spare batteries, -30 degree windshield washer fluid, sand or cat litter, blankets and warm clothes. Therefore, it’s a good idea to collect these items now, since the arrival of winter is often unpredictable.

Now is an excellent time to update your home inventory checklist and to review your insurance policies to see if your coverage fulfills your needs. Contact a BrokerLink broker to help guide you through this process and to see if you qualify for any insurance savings. Happy fall!