Safety Tips

Vacancy
Vacancy of your property can affect the coverage provided by your policy.

If your building is vacant for more than 30 consecutive days, coverage may be voided. Please refer to your policy for the exact wording of the exclusion.

If you contact you agent, arrangements can sometimes be made for a vacancy permit for longer than 30 days, depending on the circumstances.


Going Away During the Winter?
If your policy includes coverage for water damage, it will also exclude water damage occurring during the heating season due to frozen pipes if the inhabitants of the house have been absent for 4 or more consecutive days (96 hours). If you plan to be gone from your home in the winter, there are steps you can take to make sure that your coverage for frozen pipes is not voided:

  1. Arrange to have someone visit your home on a daily basis to ensure that the heat is being maintained. Have them keep a log of the dates and times they attended, and make not of whether the heat we on in the house when they attended.
  2. Instead of having someone visit on a daily basis, you can instead turn off the water to the building, and drain all the water lines while you are gone.

Roofing
Insurance is meant to cover sudden and accidental occurrences. It does not cover the cost of maintenance. Part of the cost of home ownership is the cost of maintaining it, and refurbishing sections of it as it ages. Roofing shingles have a finite life span, and need to be replaced on a regular basis. Periodically check your roof for worn, broken or curled shingle tabs. Effect any necessary repairs immediately, to prevent water from entering through a leaky roof. Remember that water damage through a leaky roof due to failure to maintain the roof shingles is not covered by your policy.


Grass Fires
Each year, Antigonish Farmers’ Mutual Insurance is called on to respond to several claims resulting from someone burning their grass. Sometimes the damage happens to their own property. Often, the fire spreads further and also damages a neighbour’s property. In all cases, the homeowner felt that they were burning their grass safely, until the fire got away from them. While many people feel that burning their grass is beneficial to their lawn, the fact is that burning the grass often does more harm than good to the lawn. They also put the lives of fire fighters at risk. We strongly encourage you not to burn your grass.
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