Category: Tip Tuesday

What to Do After a Break-In

Being the victim of a robbery is something you’ll hopefully never have to live through. However, if it does happen, you need to know the steps to recover from the break-in both financially and emotionally.

 

Here are five things to do after your home or business has been broken into.

 

Call the Police and File a Report

If you’re in the home when someone is trying to break in, call 911 immediately.

Do the same, if you arrive home and suspect someone is in your house.

Don’t clean up until the police have arrived and told you it’s OK.  Otherwise, you might disturb key evidence that police need to investigate the break-in.

 

Call Your Insurance Company

Contact your homeowners or renter’s insurance company within 24 hours of the incident.

You may be asked to provide receipts or other proof of ownership for any expensive items that were stolen, like TVs, jewelry, or other goods.

 

Begin to Clean Up and Put Pieces Back Together

Call contractors to replace windows or busted doors.

It can be helpful to have carpets cleaned or rooms painted, this can help remove the sometimes-painful memories of a break-in.

 

Reach out for Help

A break-in can be an emotionally draining experience. Don’t hesitate to reach out to friends and families during this time and don’t be surprised if it takes a while to feel comfortable in your home.

 

Review the Security of Your Home

Now’s time to think about home security and how you can prevent another incident from occurring. The best ways to improve the security of your home include:

  • Professionally installed security system
  • Adding motion-sensing lights to the exterior of your home
  • Use apps like NextDoor to connect with your neighborhood

Beyond EasyCall: Finding Long-Term Care For Your Loved Ones

Personal medical alert buttons like EasyCall provide 24/7 immediate access to help, so your loved ones can keep their independence longer. But what happens when your loved one’s needs make it necessary to increase the level of care. Navigating the world of long-term care and assisted living can be tough. Luckily, there are resources that can help.

Beyond EasyCall: Finding long-term care for your loved ones

In California, seniors can choose from over 3,500 licensed long term care communities. And it’s no wonder since nearly 14 percent of Californians are 65 or older.

Finding the right living situation can be tough. That’s why Caring.com has gathered info on Assisted Living throughout the state of California.

At Caring.com, you can compare the costs of assisted living in various cities and learn about financial assistance for assisted living. Finding the most affordable care is a big concern for seniors since average monthly costs can exceed $4,500.

Click here to explore assisted living resources near you: https://www.caring.com/senior-living/assisted-living/california

Making Sense concerning Medicare

More than 61 million people rely on Medicare benefits. Unfortunately, Medicare rules and regulations can be complicated and challenging to navigate. 

Caring.com helps you understand your Medicare eligibility and how to enroll. The web guide also helps you understand the different levels of Medicare benefits, how to qualify, and what the limitations are coverage are. 

Learn more Caring.com’s Guide to Medicare here: https://www.caring.com/medicare/

The Complete Guide to Keeping Your Packages Safe

Online shopping is booming, and package thieves are taking notice.

 

Retailers report a 76 percent increase in online sales during the COVID19 quarantine, and with those record sales come record numbers of deliveries.

 

For many of us living under shelter-in-place orders, home delivery is our lifeline to groceries, consumer goods, medicines, and more. Stopping package theft is more critical than ever.

 

This article will give you several tips for preventing package theft and help you learn how a  security system can help you keep watch on pesky porch pirates.

 

Track Your Packages and Get Updates

Millions of package thefts are reported each year, but dismally few cases are ever solved. That’s why experts urge prevention, and savvy shoppers know prevention starts with tracking your packages.

 

Your smartphone’s app store is loaded with apps that can track packages sent from multiple delivery services. Parcel – Delivery Tracking (iPhone, iPad) or Deliveries (Android) are highly rated for their ease of use. FedEx and UPS offer their own apps, but we prefer the convenience of a single app that can track packages from multiple sources.

 

Have Packages Delivered to your Workplace or Office

One of the best ways to combat package theft is to have items delivered to your office (with your company’s permission) or a friend’s house who will be home to receive the packages. This will stop porch pirates in their tracks. Of course, with the COVID-19 quarantine, many of us are working from home these days. In that case,upgrading your home with a video doorbell can suit your needs.

 

Require a Signature on Delivery

To prevent your package from being stolen, ask for signature delivery. Contact the sender and request a delivery confirmation signature. Most companies will add this service free of charge.

 

Use Local Package Lockers

Rite Aid and Walgreens locations offer locker service for Amazon purchases. It’s easy to keep your packages safe and secure with these self-service lockers. Customers also report that they love picking up packages when it’s convenient for them.

 

Pick Up Packages in Person

This suggestion may not be quite as convenient as receiving deliveries at your front door, but it’s sure to work. Contact your delivery service to hold packages at a local location so you can pick them up.

 

Your Security System Can Keep Your Packages Safe

Ensuring your packages arrive safely is one of the ways your security system works for you. Security cameras and video doorbells can notify you with an email when the package comes.

 

If you’re not home when the package is delivered, you can use your smartphone to disarm your alarm system and unlock the door so the package can be placed inside. Once the package is safely inside, arm your alarm system, again right from your smartphone. It’s that easy.

A young woman checks her smartphone to see video message that her delivery man has arrived with her packages.

What to Do if Your Package is Stolen

More than 26 million packages are stolen each year in the U.S., and less than 10 percent of cases are solved. If you discover you’re the victim of a porch pirate, take these steps to help remedy the situation.

 

As soon as you notice your package is missing, file a police report. While the odds are low that your package will be recovered, there’s always a chance. Plus, filing a police report is required if you’re going to make a claim against your homeowner’s or renter’s insurance. Beyond that, contacting the police will help them establish a pattern if porch thieves are prowling your neighborhood.

 

Within 24 hours of noting the package missing, contact the store and shipping service you used. Many online stores have policies for missing deliveries and may even send you a replacement at no cost. Keep track of order and delivery numbers to save time when contacting your retailer. This same advice applies if a friend or relative sent your package—keep them in the loop so they can report it to their retailer.

 

File a lost package claim:

  • Did you ship with the USPS? Click here to file a lost package claim.
  • Used UPS? Click here to file a lost package.
  • Was FedEx your delivery company? Click here to file a lost package claim.

 

Natural Disasters and Your Alarm System: What to Know

Living along the Pacific Ocean, there’s always the chance an earthquake or other disaster may strike at any moment. Natural disasters can damage your property and affect your alarm system in many ways. To prepare for disasters, experts recommend having a disaster plan in place, so you’re ready at a moment’s notice. However, many disaster plans don’t include your alarm system as part of your disaster response.

Here are some tips to manage your alarm when a disaster hits:

Regardless of where you live, natural disasters can affect you and your alarm system. Taking a few simple steps before a disaster occurs will help to avoid potential problems and the uncertainty that comes when you are required to make quick decisions. Here are a few tips:

  • If you install a generator to prepare for power outages, our service technicians or a qualified electrician can assist you with the best way to connect it to your alarm system.
  • Ensure that your contact list and information is current. You should contact our office at least once per year to update your contact information and list of responsible parties.
  • If you relocate in an emergency, contact us with phone numbers where you can be reached and provide us with the phone number of a contact person outside the immediate area, if available.

When You Get Back Home

When you can safely return to your home or business, you may have to deal with a multitude of issues. One of those will be what to do with your alarm system. If your area has experienced power outages, when the power restores, it may cause a false alarm.

  • Before reconnecting or activating your alarm system, contact us to avoid a false alarm. Our trained dispatchers can help you test your system or schedule a visit with a service technician.
  • Depending on the disaster, it may be necessary to replace the alarm system battery. Many systems that were taken offline by the Public Safety Planned Power Outages needed new system batteries after the power was restored.
  • Check sensors for water damage, lightning strikes, etc.
  • Call us to schedule an inspection of your alarm system if you believe damage may have occurred.