Go on vacation with peace of mind

Go on vacation with peace of mind
After a busy start to the year, you are about to take a well-deserved rest. However, do not forget the good habits to adopt before going on vacation. Here are some tips for spending your holidays with confidence.

Burglary, leave your house with peace of mind
The summer period is often synonymous with an increase in burglaries, and precautions can be taken to reduce the risk of intrusion. The first thing to do is to make sure that your home will not be easy prey for burglars. An armored door with a reinforced lock, secure windows are your allies. Close the shutters and the garage, do not leave a ladder or stepladder lying around in the garden. Upon departure, make sure that no access has been left open, even small or high. Installing an alarm can also be a big plus. Don't hesitate to let your friends or neighbors know when you are away, ask them to collect your mail and keep an eye out for any unusual activity in the neighborhood. When you return, you can return the favor to them. In the same spirit, some associations propose to set up solidarity monitoring. In addition, it is not advisable to make your absence known on your answering machine or on social networks, as well as to give access to your address or any other personal information. Finally, the public service is setting up the Holiday Tranquility Operation (OTV) which allows you to have your accommodation monitored free of charge by the police or gendarmerie. Do not forget to anticipate these steps which may take a few days to set up.
Identity documents, anticipate any unpleasant surprises
 
Once on the road, it would be painful to see your vacation ruined by the loss or theft of your identity documents. A first precaution is to scan and photocopy these documents, so as not to have to carry the originals permanently with you, but also to have a copy easily accessible if needed. Make sure that you only bring the necessary papers, an identity card will suffice for European nationals to travel within the Schengen area. Leave the originals in a safe place when traveling. A copy will do the trick for the most trivial of situations, and you can always present the original later, if necessary.
In the event of loss or theft, the first step is to make a declaration as soon as possible to the police station of your resort in order to avoid fraudulent use. The receipt that will be issued to you will allow you to go through customs. Abroad, the next step will be to go to the consulate or the embassy where you can obtain a temporary document certifying your identity and a receipt which will be useful for you to return to France and when renewing your identity documents. . Please note, in some countries the receipt for the driving license does not necessarily entitle you to resume driving. Once these steps have been taken, your papers will no longer be valid even if they are found. On your return, you are advised to make an appointment to renew your papers as soon as possible.
Appropriate insurance
Before leaving, check the guarantees included in your various insurance contracts. Indeed, losses and thefts are not systematically insured. It is therefore important that you check with your insurer that you have adequate coverage. In addition, some burglary insurances prescribe precautions to be taken against intrusions and, in particular, the equipment to be installed according to the risk run by your home. To avoid disappointment, make sure that you have put the required measures in place.