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The holiday season is for spending time with family and enjoying the holiday spirit. As festivities get underway, homeowners should be careful to avoid common mistakes that may result in claims during this time of year.
Here we’ll unwrap some holiday-related claims, along with some holiday home insurance tips!
What is Home insurance?
Home insurance is a policy in which you can purchase from an insurance company to help protect your property and your belongings. Getting this type of insurance is very common in Canada and many other countries to ensure that you are covered in case of an unexpected incident.
If your home is broken into or vandalized, this insurance will pay for not only the damage to your house but also provide compensation for any belongings that may get stolen, destroyed or damaged. Home insurance providers offer many kinds of coverage depending on what’s most important to you.
Home insurance doesn’t cover everything. Some common exclusions include earthquakes, sewer backup and floods. To ensure you are covered in all the ways, read your policy carefully.
If you feel you need more coverage than provided by your insurance company or you want to make sure that everything is covered, enhancements can be added to your policy (for an additional cost).
1. House fires
House fires are a major risk during the holidays, as people often overuse traditional holiday decorations like candles and rekindle flames that were not properly put out. Christmas trees are also a large cause of fires, as many people choose to overuse dryers and de-fluff the branches, creating an abundance of “Christmas Tree Syndrome.”
The best way to prevent house fires is to not overload outlets with Christmas lights, make sure candles are completely out before leaving or going to bed, and always follow drying instructions for any Christmas tree decorations you might buy!
2. Home remodeling accidents
As people often do home improvements around the holidays, there is a large risk of causing serious injury to yourself or others if proper safety procedures are not followed.
Make sure that all power tools are turned off before leaving or going to sleep, and always use oven mitts while cooking or reach out to our office for professional contractors.
3. Theft
The holiday season is filled with joy, cheer, and giving to others. Unfortunately, this means that there are more people around your house at all times of the day, making it easier for thieves to find an opportunity to break in.
Many people will bring gifts into their home without thinking about how it might look from outside or if someone might walk off with it. The best way to prevent theft is to make sure all gifts are put under the tree or somewhere where they can’t be seen from outside, and always lock your doors!
4. Holiday decorating injuries
The holidays are the season of lights, trees, and festive colors. This is also a time where people often use more power tools than normal or have to climb on top of ladders to hang decorations.
Many household accidents happen during the holiday season due to a combination of a lack of sleep, not paying attention while decorating, and an increased amount of alcohol and caffeine consumption. Make sure you don’t overindulge in alcohol and coffee, get plenty of rest before any big holiday projects, and always read the instructions on your Christmas lights or climbing gear!
Conclusion
These are just some of the most common types of insurance claims that happen during the holidays. If you want to make sure you’re always properly covered, reach out to your insurance representative for any questions you might have!