It’s never too early to begin thinking about holiday safety. Fires, burglaries and vandalism are the 3 most prevalent types of claims by homeowners during the season of Brotherly Love. Christmas trees, home decorations, shopping for gifts, and family gatherings all contribute to a lack of safety for your home and vehicle during the Christmas season.
Work Loads Increase for Public Adjusters
The number of clients seeking the services of a public adjuster also increase during Christmas. Insurers know they’re going to see an increase in claims and their job is to minimize reimbursements. Insurers often deny or underpay those claims, making it necessary to engage the services of a public adjuster. Be aware that the experts see an uptick in cases, but they’re the best defense you have against insurers that deny and underpay.
Fire Dangers
Decorations can be expensive, but discard light strings and any decorations with frayed wires or those with missing or unlit bulbs. Keep live Christmas trees hydrated and don’t daisy chain extension cords. Yard decorations can be stolen or vandalized. Motion sensor lights are a deterrent and security camera are effective for identifying culprits.
Shopping and Travel
People spend a significant amount of time away from home shopping for presents. Others travel long distances for family gatherings. Both instances present prime opportunities for burglars and vandals. Never post on social media when you’ll be away from home and don’t share information about expensive gifts you’ve purchased. If you’ll be away for the holidays, install programmable lighting in different rooms of the house. Vehicle Safety
Vehicles are at increased risk at home and while shopping. They can be broken into and drivers aren’t always forthcoming if they ding your car. For vehicle safety:
- Park vehicles in the garage
- Always lock doors and engage anti-theft devices and alarms
- Never leave personal belongings in the vehicle
- Install an immobilizer if the vehicle doesn’t have one
- Park in well-lit areas at night or shop during the day
After Christmas Care
Caution doesn’t end when the presents are opened. Cut up boxes of expensive items so they fit in the trash receptacle instead of leaving them on or beside the bin for trash collection. You don’t want to advertise that you’re the owner of expensive electronics, game systems and similar items.