Make sure you are adequately covered before you travel

It’s the time of year again where the schools break up and we are greeted with yet another long weekend. You may be planning a mini holiday or long weekend away, and this can be a very busy business!

Between packing bags, organising travel and accommodation arrangements, and keeping children entertained, it is very easy to forget to ensure you have adequate insurance in place before you travel.

Don’t worry — that is why we are here to remind you!

It is important to make sure you have comprehensive car insurance and home insurance in place before you go anywhere. Once it's in place, you'll know you are covered if anything should happen to your house or vehicle when you are away.

If you are going away and travelling in your own vehicle, make sure that your car insurance is both adequate and up to date. Also ensure that your insurance will cover the person/s driving the vehicle.

You can also perform your own safety checks on your vehicle before you depart, to avoid any unexpected hiccups on the road. These checks can include making sure your windscreen wipers clear the windscreen with each swipe, checking your tyre pressure and tread depth, checking your oil and ensuring your battery cable connections are tight. Don't forget to take your car for a roadworthy inspection.

If you are travelling by taxi, be sure to find out if the taxi belongs to an accredited taxi association and if the driver has the necessary public driving permit. Be sure to check whether they carry public liability insurance for passengers who are injured during a trip.

Keep in mind that if a taxi is not registered and does not have a correctly licensed driver, your ability to claim public liability insurance could be impacted. If you are going to be travelling via public transport this long weekend, it is important to make sure that you have adequate medical insurance in place in the case of an accident or unforeseen emergency.

It is equally important to ensure you have adequate home insurance in place when you go on holiday or take a weekend trip. This is to ensure you are covered if anything should happen to your home in the event of your absence.

You can also do a few routine safety checks before you depart to keep your house as safe as possible. These checks may include unplugging unnecessary electrical appliances, locking all your doors and windows, letting your security company know that you are going away and locking away any jewellery and other valuables.

Make sure you, your home and your vehicle are adequately covered before you take a weekend trip or go away on holiday so that you know your home and vehicle are protected and that you don’t come into any large, unexpected costs.