What you need to know about going on vacation and condo insurance

Planning a vacation? If you're mapping out your next adventure, be sure to check your condo insurance. Even if you're just moving out for a few weeks to make room for alterations or renovations, it's important to consider what happens to your condo while you're away to ensure your insurance remains valid.

The first thing to do is contact your condo insurer if you know you might leave your condo vacant for an extended period. There are many reasons why your condo might need to remain empty—whether you're waiting for a sale, have a summer job elsewhere, or need to help an elderly relative transition into a retirement home. In any case, it's a good idea to inform your condo insurer of your plans.

Familiarize yourself with the details of your condo insurance

You and your condo association or corporation have insurance. Your insurance policy covers your liability and property, as well as potentially all the furniture and appliances in your unit that are not originally part of your building (although this depends on your condo corporation and its coverage). Your condo association/corporation has what's called a "master policy" that includes coverage for common areas, pools, gyms, and hallways, as well as liability for those areas. Your policy should be designed to cover all exposures not covered by the master policy.

Make sure you understand the vacancy regulations of your condo insurance policy. For homeowners insurance, your policy won't cover you if your unit is vacant for more than 30 days. In some cases, there may be special conditions regarding vacancies—such as having a house sitter or leaving the heat on if your home is empty for the winter.

Other insurers may allow you to leave your house or condo vacant for up to 60 consecutive days. Of course, it all depends on who you're insured with. Check if your condo policy mentions anything about vacancies. It also doesn't hurt to ask your condo association about it.

Why is it bad to leave your condo vacant?

From your insurance company's perspective, your risk increases when your condo is unoccupied for a period of time. This is because no one is there to perform proper maintenance or care for your condo as you would if you were living there. Your condo can also become more attractive to burglars and thieves who will have no trouble breaking in. Your condo may be "just a condo"—but it's still your home! It needs to be cared for, even when you're not there.

Be prepared and keep your condo secure

Chances are, leaving your condo vacant for several weeks or months isn't something that happened unexpectedly. You've likely been planning your vacation for a while now, so you probably have enough time to plan or account for your condo being vacant. During this time, consider additional security measures, such as installing a security system, high-quality locks, and replacing the batteries in your smoke detectors. You might also want to unplug all your electronic devices—this can help save on your electricity bill (if utilities are an additional expense), but it can also reduce the likelihood of a fire starting while you're away due to overheating.

You might also want to ask a neighbor to look after your condo or check on it occasionally. If you have a house sitter, make sure they know how to operate your alarm system and have all the necessary emergency numbers. If something happens while you're away, your house sitter should be in the best possible position to handle it as transparently as possible.

Finally, you might want to think about all the food left in your refrigerator. Many people don't consider this, but your expired food could attract an unwanted infestation while you're away and unable to eliminate the culprit before it's too late. Throw away, eat, or give away any food that might expire before your return date.

Bad things can happen no matter what precautions we take, but it's a good idea to be proactive, especially when we have the time. Talk to your broker about any additional measures you might need to take while on vacation.

Plan to speak with your condo insurer

Before you leave, be sure to call your condo insurer as soon as possible. You may be able to purchase temporary coverage for your vacancy period, which could provide reduced coverage (or full coverage) for your belongings if something goes wrong. If your condo insurer can't offer anything to help, there are insurance companies that offer vacancy insurance.

What should I do if I need to file a damage claim while on vacation?

Filing a claim for any damage, loss, or theft while you're on vacation is no different than filing a claim while you were at your condo. You'll need to call your condo insurer as usual and discuss the situation with them. Make sure that when you go on vacation, you have your policy number with you and a physical or digital copy of your insurance documents to prevent them from being destroyed or damaged.