Category: Home Insurance

Happy Halloween!

It’s getting spooky!

Today is the scariest time of the year! All sorts of monsters, witches, and other miscellaneous creatures will be coming to our doors and asking for treats. We all need to make sure we’re being safe and keeping an eye out for mischievous behavior. For everyone’s safety, we’ve included a list of 13 safety tips for the big night!

1.       Flame resistant costumes. There will be an awful lot of candles and fire tonight so make sure that it’s not even a possibility for your child’s costume to catch on fire.

2.       Plan a route. You’ll want to have an exact idea of where you’re going and which neighborhoods you’ll be in. Although some streets may look tempting, they may not be the safest place for you to take your child up to stranger’s doors.

3.       Have an adult per 3 children. You might think you can handle all of those kiddos on your own, but once they see candy being given out, or their favorite movie character costume, they’ll be out of control and you’ll be wishing for a helper. It’s best to use caution and keep a good ratio of adults to kids. 

4.       Be sure to be looking both ways while crossing streets. There are plenty of distracted drivers and distracted walkers/runners and none of us want an accident. Be wise and use your eyes. 

5.       Keep electronic devices put away to be more alert. You’ll need to know where you’re walking and who’s around you in order to stay as safe as possible. 

6.       Always walk on sidewalks (only sidewalks) to make sure you’re not on private property or getting lost. Plus, you never know what might be in someone’s yard! Stay smart and use what the cities gave us. Sidewalks are a perfect way to ensure that you know where you’re going. 

7.       Stay in well-lit areas. Although this time of year is for scary things and pranks, some people might not be pranking, they might be serious. If this is the case, you’ll want to stay in well lit areas to avoid those people. 

8.       Feed your children a big nutritious meal prior to trick-or-treating! This will keep their bellies full and make it less likely that they’ll try to eat all of their candy that night. It’s important to spread out the candy throughout the next couple days or weeks. If they eat too much sugar within a small period of time, they’ll get stomach aches and potentially be sick. They’ll also be outside in the cold weather and candy shuts down the immune system, making it easy for them to catch a cold or the flu.  

9.       Use face paint instead of a mask to help the child have better vision. The ability for them to have clear views of their surroundings is important while wandering the streets at night. They’ll also need the ability to know without a doubt that no cars are coming while they cross the street.

10.   Have a flash light or glow stick. Wear bright colors and/or reflective material on costumes. Making your children (or yourself) visible is the safest way to be out in the dark. 

11.   Make sure costume isn’t hazardous and the child can safely walk without tripping.

12.   When driving, slow down and take extra time to be sure that no children are in the road. You’re child may be in the back seat crying or digging into their candy, but those problems can be solved prior to driving, to ensure the safety of others as well. 

13.   Always check your child’s treats! There could be anything in there and you’ll want to be sure you know what they’re going to be eating. Anything that has been opened (even if it appears to have been an accident) should be thrown away. 

Have a fun and safe Halloween everyone, and send us your favorite candies and costumes!

Let’s look at some of the most common tricks that are pulled on policyholders over the holiday and ways you can safeguard your car and home this Halloween.

1. My dog bit a trick-or-treater! Halloween creates heavy traffic to your home and can be downright spooky for dogs.  A scared dog is on higher alert than normal, and this could result in your furry friend taking a bite out of one of your costumed visitors.

It’s best for you, and your pet, to have them put away from the door when you know traffic will be high – such as Halloween night. They should be fine in a back room, away from the front door. If possible put some of their favorite toys and a treat back with them so they know they are not in trouble. We also recommend turning on the TV or a radio in the room your dog is in to help muffle the doorbell or noise and giggles of trick-or-treaters at the front door, which may stress them out.

Remember not to take this risk lightly. There were over 16,000 dog bite claims last year, making up more than one-third of all liability claims paid out homeowners insurance companies, according to the Insurance Information Institute (III). They totaled almost $479 million, averaging nearly $29,400 paid out per claim. Every state has different rules about dog bites, homeowners policies typically cover the liability and medical expenses related to a dog bite, unless your dog or his breed is excluded from your policy.

2. Does my homeowners policy cover TP in the trees? Toilet paper typically doesn’t damage trees, most of the time it’s just paper blowing through the branches, so a claim isn’t necessary. For the most part, toilet paper is merely an annoyance that must be cleaned up in the morning.

However, there have been instances when a tree has been damaged during an act of vandalism.  If this happens, your homeowners policies may cover this – check with your agent to be sure.  If your tree does have damage from vandalism, avoid cutting down limbs or hauling away any debris until a claims adjuster is able to come out to take a look at the damage to the tree or your home.

3. My car was egged, am I covered? Vandalism is most likely covered by your car insurance policy if you have comprehensive coverage.  Whether or not you should file a claim depends on the amount of damage versus the amount of your deductible. You may be able to remove egg with a simple car wash – though more extensive damage may occur depending on the severity of the vandalism.

In the last few years, we’ve seen claims increase for damage caused by paintballs, water balloons filled with paint or other liquids, and broken windshields with pumpkins thrown through them. If you see severe damage, dents, or your paint eaten away, then a claim may be justifiable.

Your best bet to protect your vehicle is to park your car in the garage or another well-lit, covered area. If you do not have this option, even simply buying a tarp to cover your car can detour vandals.

The good news is that most neighborhoods are prepared for Halloween, and you and your neighbors can look out for each other and the rest of your neighbors. By working together, and helping others be vigilant about safeguarding your street from pranksters, your street will be unattractive to teens ready to egg cars or toilet-paper trees.

What other tips do you have for preventing pranks during Halloween? Share them with us on our Facebook page or Twitter.

Let’s try a little exercise: List everything you own. From memory (don’t peek!). 

Didn’t think so.

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The fact is, most people own more things than they realize. It’s easy to remember the cars, the computer, the TV. But what about that holiday china in the garage?  Or every pair of shoes?

For insurance purposes, all of this “stuff” is considered personal property, whether big or small. And if your home is destroyed by fire or some other disaster, having a list of your possessions takes a lot of the stress out of filing a claim — and helps you put your life back together more quickly and easily.

Why should I complete a home inventory? What’s the best way?

Every home insurance policy has a “contents” limit listed. This is how much coverage you have for your personal property. Comparing the value of your belongings to this limit helps you make sure you have enough insurance to replace them if they are lost, stolen or destroyed as a result of a covered loss. In the past, inventories were usually just long lists of items. But these days, the easiest way to take an inventory is to simply whip out your cell phone or video camera and take a visual tour or your home and belongings. Just walk through your house, recording and describing items as you film them. Or, you can use a regular camera and create a home inventory checklist.

Here are a few tips for completing and storing your inventory: 

• Add brand names and descriptions where you can, especially on large-ticket items. Serial numbers are helpful to note as well. 
• Keep any receipts you have with the list to make the claims process easier. You could also keep digital copies by snapping a quick photo of receipts. 
• Store your video or photo inventory offsite so you won’t lose it if your house is damaged. If you’re creating a digital inventory instead of physical copy, consider storing it on a cloud service so it’s not attached to any particular device that could be damaged. 
• Update your personal property records when you purchase new furnishings and valuables. Your home inventory may be a constantly changing document, depending on how often you purchase new items and replace old ones. Make sure it never gets too out of date and is not missing any recent large purchases.

Though the task may seem daunting, it’s important to try. Even an incomplete inventory is better than nothing at all. And with technology, the process isn’t nearly as time consuming as it used to be!

How much insurance do I need?

That’s what your independent agent is here for! We can assist you in analyzing your insurance needs and help you decide how to most effectively protect your personal property. 

You should consider full-value coverage, which will pay for the replacement value of your personal belongings. A standard policy typically covers personal property only up to its actual cash value, determined by taking the replacement cost and deducting depreciation, which can be substantial. (For example, a 5-year-old TV is usually worth much less than what it would cost to purchase a new one.)

Finally, remember your homeowners policy covers valuable items such as jewelry, furs, art and antiques, only up to set dollar amounts. If the cost of replacing them exceeds these limits, you may want to purchase scheduled personal property coverage.

You can also take advantage of the home inventory feature on our mobile app. 

We hope you’ll never need the home inventory, but preparing for the worst can prevent a lot of hassle later! Call us at (616) 897-1515 if you would like help evaluating your coverage needs, or have questions about what your policy covers. We’re here for you!

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