We recently celebrated the first day of autumn! Whether it’s still 90 degrees where you are, or the leaves are already crunching underfoot, it’s important to remember that winter will be here sooner than we expect it to be.
And while some of us look forward to the cold and others dread it, we all have something in common as long as we own a vacation rental home and belongings: our insurance policies need to be in order before the cold weather hits.
INSURE VACATION RENTAL HOME RENOVATIONS
If the warm summer weather made you want to roll up your sleeves and make improvements to your rental home, then you’ll want to reexamine your insurance policy before the winter hits. Depending on what kind of improvement you made, the addition to your home may not be covered under your existing policy.
Before your renovated vacation rental home has to stand up against winter weather, check with your agent and make sure your costly project is protected with the right coverage.
DOUBLE CHECK YOUR AUTOMOBILE POLICY
Many owners of vacation rental homes save on their policy premiums by bundling their property insurance with other types of insurance. Bundling homeowners’ insurance with automobile insurance is popular. While you prepare your property for winter, you should also prepare your automobiles.
With an uptick in holiday travel, dreary weather, freezing temperatures, and earlier nightfall, it’s no surprise that car accidents are more likely to occur in the winter. Before the weather takes a turn for the worse, check in on your auto policy and make sure your coverage is ready to handle claims for liability and collision.
EVALUATE YOUR CURRENT RV AND BOAT COVERAGE TOO
While you’re checking up on your automobile coverage, consider checking in on the boat or RV insurance policies, too. If you usually discontinue or downgrade your summer fun policies in the winter, make sure these vehicles are secured from theft and fire as much as possible.
Talk to your agent about where you store your boat or RV for the summer, and see what your biggest risk factors are.
ACCOUNT FOR AN INCREASE IN PERSONAL PROPERTY
Vacation rental homes accumulate personal property just as primary residences do. Maybe you added some nice artwork or antiques to your vacation rental home last summer while vacationing there. If so, you should ensure your vacation rental coverage is sufficient. This is particularly true if you plan to rent out your second home short-term or lease it long-term.
Even if you’re unsure of the value of personal property in your vacation rental home, you’ll want to use this fall season to check your personal property policy. You are wise to make sure it has enough coverage to protect your personal property that stays in your rental home.
INDEPENDENT INSURANCE AGENTS ARE HERE TO SERVE YOU
Properly insuring a vacation rental home while avoiding needless expenses can be challenging. Fortunately, independent insurance agents know how to walk this fine line, making sure you have adequate coverage without overspending.
Having a lot of property to protect is quite a responsibility, but it is always worth it when something goes wrong. CabinQuote is here to help take the stress out of that responsibility, and ensure you’re properly covered all year round. Give us a call to go over your policies this fall, so you can cozy up stress-free when winter rolls around.