Westworld Alberta
Issue link: http://westworldmagazine.ama.ab.ca/i/53603
RECEIVE A FREE FREE water supply and draining pipes and appli- ances. Make your home look lived-in with motion-sensor lights and lamps or radios on timers, and have someone pick up junk mail and shovel the driveway. Also consider pay- ing for mail suspension or mail forwarding services (details at canadapost.ca). If you're tempted to keep friends up to date on your travels via Facebook or another social network, resist the urge. Today, people who might take advantage of an empty house are as likely to cruise for prospects online as they are physical neighbourhoods. TOWN PUMP TOWN PUMP Extend your vehicle insurance If you're fl ying to your destination and leav- ing the car at home, you'll likely be driving a rental vehicle. Think about adding an SEF 27, or Legal Liability for Damage to Non-Owned Automobile, to your insurance policy. For about $30, this add-on extends your vehicle's collision, comprehensive and specifi c perils coverage to a rental vehicle in Canada and the U.S., so long as the policyholder, spouse or other person listed on the policy is driv- ing. If you're going to be driving in a foreign country other than the U.S., consider getting an International Driver's Permit, which allows licensed drivers to drive in most coun- tries without further testing or paperwork. If you're taking your own car, Lennie rec- ommends informing your insurer that you're leaving, as there may be extra fees associated with crossing the border. Take your fi nances digital If you haven't already, now is the time to set up online or telephone banking. This will enable you to establish automatic payments for bills such as utilities and taxes, as well as view your accounts in any location where you can access the Internet. Most fi nancial institutions also have smart phone apps for mobile banking – just watch out for data roaming charges, which can run as high $1 to $6 per megabyte. (You might want to get a local cellphone for your mobile Internet and calling.) You may not be able to manage all of your fi nances at a distance, though. Before you depart, sit down with your investment advisor to make arrangements for any GICs that will mature or payments that may arrive from a Registered Retirement Income Fund (RRIF), and the handling of any mutual funds or securities. Many institutions and brokers will be wary of taking instruction from someone 26 WESTWORLD >> FEBRUARY 2012