We’re all excited about our upcoming vacations these days, however, posting about your eagerness to kick up your heels and relax in a faraway place is not a good idea.
A recent blog post by one of our trusted providers, Intact Insurance, cites a Credit Sesame study involving 50 former burglars in the United Kingdom. The study found that 78% of thieves targeting homes used social media to identify when the owners were away and for how long. Those ex-burglars monitored platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Foursquare to zero in on specific properties to target.
And Canadians certainly love to travel and post about it. Another recent survey carried out by Leger found that 68% of Canadian social media users plan to leave home for at least a few days this summer. About 74% of Gen Z and Millennials plan to travel, while those aged 55 and older are more likely to stay home. A bit more than a third (35%) report they are travelling but staying within their home province and will post to social media. That posting number rises among those planning to leave their province to 45%, and tops out at 51% for those with international vacation plans.
Younger adults aged 18 to 34 are the most likely to publish content about their trip before actually leaving (9%), while 28% say they will post photos and videos while away. Parents are more inclined to share (37%) as compared to those without children (30%).
It’s understandable to want to share, but as unfortunate as it is, posting a beach vacation selfie while on vacation puts your property at risk.
Tips for posting on social media
Being safe online goes a lot further than just paying attention during your vacation time. Being conscientious year-round can greatly reduce your chances of being broken into and your identity being compromised.
- Set your profile to private and be very careful about who you allow into your network.
- Permanently change your phone’s privacy settings to strip geolocation data from photos.
- Before leaving, avoid sharing any images that reveal your community, street address, or house number. If you already have shared some, make sure to delete them.
- Don’t use the “location check-in” option upon arrival.
- Consider creating a private group chat with trusted family and friends instead of posting to social media.
- Save vacation posts and photos until after you’ve returned home.
- Ensure everyone in your household uses the same precautions.
Review your home insurance policy
Break-ins and burglaries have been increasing since 2022 in Canada. Experts believe these numbers are likely less than what is the reality, as many burglaries are not reported to the police. Large cities top the list in terms of the number of break-ins committed and the ratio per capita, with burglaries rising slightly during the summer months when people are away. The months of July through November are the busiest time for theft from homes, with Fridays ranking highest for the most incidents, followed by Thursdays, regardless of time of year.
It’s never a bad time to check with your insurance broker or provider to confirm your home insurance coverage is up to date and reflects your current needs. In addition, they can clarify how often your property should be checked on while you are away. Most policies request a competent person stop by at least once every four days to ensure nothing has gone wrong. Failure to do so could result in a claim being denied.
In addition, for supplementary protection identity theft insurance is a comprehensive and affordable endorsement you can add to your home insurance policy that can greatly ease headaches if your social media profile leads you to be taken advantage of.
Trust Lane’s for all your Alberta insurance needs
The experienced brokers at Lane’s Insurance excel at educating customers, answering questions and explaining coverage, so you know you have the best insurance for you and your family.
“At Lane’s, our goal is quite simply to work with you, our client, to determine your needs and ensure that you and your assets are protected,” says president and owner of Lane’s Insurance Chad Mullen. “Specifically, we want to ensure that your financial plan incorporates the right insurance choices for your life today, and the life you’d like to live tomorrow.”
Contact us at our Calgary, Edmonton, Banff, and Alberta offices today.
