Having your loved ones over for the holiday season but haven’t reviewed your home insurance?
Christmas is an especially risky time of year. Not only are you more susceptible to accidents, but you’re also more at risk of being a victim of crime.
In order to minimize the risk to you and your family, you need to make sure you have your home insurance policy set up correctly. Here are some things you need to be aware of this holiday season.
More Risk of a Fire
Did you know that Christmas is one of the worst times of the year for house fires? You’re likely to put out things like candles and electronic decorations. These kinds of items can easily become a fire hazard.
You should make sure you take every possible precaution to prevent a fire this Christmas. Never leave a candle unattended and turn off Christmas lights when there is no one in the room to keep an eye on them.
With this being said, accidents happen. With all the distractions you’ll face this Christmas, it’s certainly possible that you could suffer from a house fire. Yes, even when you take precautions.
Like most families, you probably have a box or two of Christmas decorations that you reuse every year. But how many years have you been using the same Christmas lights?
Every year, old Christmas lights go up in flames. This year, you should evaluate your decorations. Consider upgrading any lights that are decades old.
Make sure you’re covered, properly, by your homeowner’s insurance in the event of a house fire. Sometimes, fires just happen, even when you’ve taken all of the necessary steps to prevent them.
Christmas Offers Opportunity to Criminals
Christmas is a time for goodwill and generosity, but unfortunately, not everyone gets the memo. You should be aware that criminals see Christmas as a great opportunity. Be especially careful about throwing out any packaging from gifts.
If you throw out the box for your new 60-inch 4k TV, this advertises to everyone that you have a brand new TV worth stealing.
You’ll probably be out visiting family at some point over the holidays. This presents the perfect time to do a burglary.
Burglars spend a lot of time gathering information about a property before they break in. Don’t make their job easy by displaying exactly what new gadgets your house contains.
If you leave your property for an extended length of time to visit friends or family, take measures to make it look like someone is home. For instance, you might have lights rigged up to a timer.
Make Sure Your Home Insurance Is Up-to-Date
It’s not just important to have homeowner’s insurance during the holiday season. It’s also very important that you keep your insurance policy up-to-date.
There are many expensive gifts that’ll need to be added individually to your insurance. For instance, if you purchase an expensive musical instrument, a new laptop, or new furniture.
Often, people don’t realize these rules apply before it’s already too late. Be proactive this Christmas and make sure any expensive gifts are covered by your home insurance policy.
Weather Damage
Another thing you need to be aware of during the holiday season is the potential for weather damage to your home. This risk can be greatly exacerbated if you’re leaving your property for a few days.
If you do go away, make sure you take appropriate precautions. Your pipes should be insulated properly to ensure they don’t freeze.
You might also want to consider keeping your heating on a timer. In addition, consider keeping your attic door ajar to allow warm air to circulate throughout your property.
Even if you take the right precautions, you could still suffer from weather damage to your property. Make sure you have enough home insurance coverage to repair this kind of damage before you go away for the holidays.
Holiday Accidents
Did you know that you’re much more likely to accidentally damage your house or get injured during the holiday season?
Every year, there are countless incidents involving Christmas trees. Sometimes, the damage from these accidents can be quite extensive. With things like candles and Christmas lights being mixed with liberal amounts of alcohol, there is a much higher chance of accidents during the holiday season.
You can take all the precautions in the world, but sometimes, these things are just out of your control. An overexcited child might knock your TV over or a hyperactive pet might knock over a candle. Make sure your home insurance policy covers accidental damage to your home and belongings, if you want to avoid a catastrophe this holiday season.
You should be especially careful during Christmas dinner preparations. This is often a time when you’re rushing to get everything ready. When you’re distracted, this could easily result in an expensive accident and replacing a kitchen.
Additional Insurance Options
Did you know home insurance can cover your visitors as well as yourself? You should make sure you have a home insurance policy that’ll cover your visitors’ personal items while they are in your home. You might also be entitled to additional coverage during the holiday season.
In some cases, you need to be proactive and contact your insurer to enable this kind of insurance. So make sure you research this option before the winter holiday season gets underway.
Additionally, cold temperatures and snow can make sidewalks icy. If a guest slips and falls on your property, you could be responsible for paying for their medical bills. Make sure your liability limits on your insurance policy properly protect your assets.
Don’t Get Caught Out
Every year, people have the misfortune of finding out they don’t have the proper home insurance to cover them for a Christmas accident or holiday theft.
Don’t get caught out this holiday season! Make sure you establish exactly what your insurance will cover for you and what it won’t. Reach out to Mathenia Insurance group for help insuring your home in St. Louis and all of Missouri, and be sure to make the necessary adjustments to your insurance policy as soon as possible.
Are you confused about the difference between home insurance and a home warranty? Read our blog post to get all the details you need!