A simple, free tip that could save

you a lot of money on your

homeowners insurance.

December 18, 2017 by Chad Harrison Every summer when I was a kid my family would go on a Griswald-esque family vacation. I can remember vividly how the week long get-a-way would begin, it was always the same. Once my sister and I were all buckled up, my mom would start going over a verbal checklist while my father would answer with an affirmative “check”, the bit went something like this: Mom: Suitcase packed? Dad: Check. Mom: Kids buckled? Dad: Check. Mom: Doors and windows locked? Dad: Check. This would go on and on and on until my mother would reach the pinnacle of the routine, and the only part that my sister and I really cared about, the part where she asked the important question knowing that she and my father had us kids hooked: Mom: Clean underwear? To which my father would reply in a high pitched squeal: Dad: Oops. I can hear you asking yourself “What does this have to do with saving me money on my insurance?” Good question - let me explain. The connection between my childhood story and saving you money comes in being mindful of how you leave your place for an extended period of time. Here is how a simple checklist and a few flips or turns can make a huge difference. What Could Possibly Go Wrong? Over the past 12 months our office has seen a higher than usual amount of water related claims to primary homes and seasonal dwellings. Let’s say that you and your family are going on a much anticipated and deserved vacation. You leave for the week with doors locked and windows safely closed. Upon return, all seems fine until you open the door and you walk into a scene from Home Alone in which the Wet Bandits have visited and turned your home into a waterpark while you were living it up in Mickey Mouse world. You step into a puddle, you see water coming through the ceiling and coming down the stairs. You follow the signs and walk upstairs to the bathroom to find that the water connection inlet hose on your toilet has broken and the water has been gushing for who knows how long. Or how about this scene. You are leaving deer camp or your seasonal home after a great time away. You plan on returning but aren’t really sure when that will be. You know that winter is coming so you leave the thermostat on a lower setting to save on utilities. You head back home and as life unfolds find that you aren’t able to get back to your own little oasis in the woods until the spring. When you open the door you notice that the furnace has failed, the pipes had frozen and ultimately burst. When the weather turned warmer, and the ice thawed, the water began to run and run and run and run until you arrive. Water, gallons and gallons of water. *Pictures courtesy of Carey Contracting- Has some great pictures on their FB page Check them out here: https://www.facebook.com/careycontractingim/ Since starting in the insurance industry I find that I now have nightmares about how destructive water is. We walk with our clients as they go through the devastation and loss caused by a washing machine hose that has failed or pipes that have burst. Claims are hard. If only there was a way to minimize the likelihood of something like that happening. Wouldn’t it be nice if there was a way to just flip a switch or turn a knob and the problem could just be avoided (or at least greatly lessened)? Wait a minute, that’s right. There is!

A simple, free tip that could make all the difference.

If you have running water in your home or dwelling there is a way. If you have a well that provides water to your home there is an electric motor that is wired in. The electric motor on your well is wired into your circuit board. If you flip that breaker off when you leave the well would not be able to pump water into your home. Now, if a pipe or hose failed would there still be a mess? Sure, because there is water sitting in your pipes all the time but there is a big difference between a mess of 1,000 gallons versus a mess of 450,000 gallons or more. So, regardless if you’re leaving for the weekend or for a more extended period of time, please add this important tip to your checklist: Mom: Turn off the well breaker in the basement? Dad: Check. What’s that? You don’t have a well, you have city water? You’re wondering if there is a tip for you? Of course there is. If you have city water the same concept is used, it is just accomplished a little different. In your home there is a main water valve that is coming from the outside. Somewhere close to that water line you will see some sort of valve, it could come in a variety of shapes and sizes, here are some of the more common valves used: In order to turn off the potential mess simply flip the valve and turn off the water before leaving. This simple step could save you so many headaches and quite a bit of money as well. As an agent, I take great pride in walking with people through the claims process and being able to assist our clients as their lives are put back together after a loss. I have to tell you though that those are hard days. It takes time to undo the damage done, and even though insurance is intended to indemnify (replace your damaged things) you, there are some things that cannot be replaced. Here is the good news; you have the power to greatly reduce the risk. Take the time and flip the switch. That way when it comes time to return home you won’t open the door and hear your dad say, in a high pitch, squeal: Dad: OOPS!