Summer vacation is a wonderful time of relaxation and fun in the sun. However, when you are away from home, you do not want to be thinking about your valuable possessions at home or worrying about the valuables you have with you.
There are a few ways you can protect your valuable possessions on vacation. The protective measures you can take to keep your valuables from being stolen fall into two categories. First, you can take clear physical action against thieves by increasing your home security or placing valuables in a hard-to-reach place in your luggage. The second category is a protective measure to prepare for the case where your valuable items are stolen. This is valuable possession insurance.
Below we provide information on both categories of protection for your valuable possessions on vacation.
What Happens If Your Valuables Are Stolen While On Vacation?
When valuables are stolen during a vacation, the situation quickly becomes more complicated than most people expect. Beyond the initial frustration and loss, there are multiple steps that need to be taken, including filing police reports, contacting hotels or airlines, and working through the insurance claims process. Depending on the situation, reimbursement can take time, and not all items may be fully covered. This is especially true if there is limited documentation of the items or if your policy has restrictions you were not aware of. This is why preparing ahead of time and understanding your coverage is so important before you leave for your trip.
How You Can Protect Valuables While Traveling
There are so many ways you can protect valuables and possessions at home. From the simple step of locking the front door or getting a safe to installing a security camera. We are going to list specific things you should do to protect your valuables while on vacation.
Things you can do to protect your home valuables while on vacation:
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Do not tell people or post on social media that you will be away.
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Have a trusted family member house-sit.
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Keep your valuables in a safety deposit box while on vacation.
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Increase your home security when you leave for vacation.
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Move your valuables to hidden locations thieves would have difficulty finding.
Things you can do to protect the valuables you bring with you on vacation:
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Do not leave them on the beach.
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Keep them out of sight (whether they are in your hotel room or with you on the plane).
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Do not keep all of your valuables together (for instance, it is always a good idea to have some of your money in your wallet while traveling and some of it also located in a bag or somewhere else, in case your luggage is lost or left behind).
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Leave it at home (do not bring it if you do not need it).
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Get a theft-proof bag.
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When traveling, changing locations, or hotels, keep your valuables close.
Common Mistakes Travelers Make With Valuable Items
Even with the best intentions, many travelers make simple mistakes that can lead to stolen or unrecoverable valuables. One of the most common is assuming that home insurance will fully cover any item taken on vacation. In reality, many policies have limits on high-value items like jewelry or collectibles. Another mistake is not documenting valuables before leaving. Without photos, receipts, or appraisals, proving the value of an item during a claim can be difficult. Some travelers also bring expensive items they do not truly need, increasing their risk unnecessarily. Taking a few extra steps before your trip can make a major difference if something goes wrong.
Does Home Insurance Cover Valuables While Traveling?
A lot of homeowners think that their regular home insurance will cover all of their possessions while they are away. Some coverage does extend beyond the home, but there are typically limits that policy holders don’t always know about. Items of high value, such as jewelery, watches, and collectibles, might only be covered up to a set dollar amount. There might also be deductibles that lower the total reimbursement, or exclusions that depend on how the item was lost or stolen.
Imagine bringing a $5,000 piece of jewelry on vacation. If it is stolen, your standard home insurance policy may only cover a portion of its value due to policy limits. Without additional coverage, you could be responsible for the remaining cost out of pocket.
Situations like this are more common than most homeowners realize, which is why reviewing your coverage before traveling is so important. If you know about these gaps ahead of time you can prepare for them and be financially secure, even if your valuables get lost on vacation.
Get Insurance To Protect Your Valuable Possessions On Vacation
There are actually a lot of types of insurance that can help protect your valuable possessions when on vacation. Make sure you have the correct insurance coverage when you go on vacation, so you don’t regret it after your valuables are stolen.
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Home Insurance: Your home insurance protects your valuables at home and away from home, depending on your policy. When you take certain valuables away on vacation, there is a high likelihood your home insurance policy protects them. Get in contact with your insurance agent to confirm you have this coverage.
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Travel Insurance: Certain travel insurance plans include coverage on your valuable items and even on your “not so valuable items”. From lost luggage to losing expensive jewelry, get the best travel insurance policy for your next adventure.
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Valuable Possession Insurance: The insurance that was designed for your valuable possessions. If you are unsure if your jewelry, historical artifacts, artwork, or any variety of valuable possession is covered, contact us to talk about valuable possession insurance. While home insurance provides coverage for valuables, it might not fully cover things that are more expensive.
Contact Strickler Insurance To Keep Your Valuable Items Protected
Strickler Insurance provides professional protection for your valuable items. Contact us to get a quote on your home insurance as well as your valuable possessions insurance. We have insurance specialists that are ready to assist you and provide you peace of mind for your valuable possessions.
