Holiday Hazards - Are You Covered?

December 9, 2024


As the holiday season quickly approaches, so do all the traditions and festivities that come with it. Most of us are ecstatic to shift our focus to colorful lights, decorations, Christmas trees, home-cooked meals, cookie baking and the infectious Holiday spirit. However, as we get into party mode it’s important to maintain a cautious approach.

If you’ve ever seen the dramatic yet hysterical National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, you know that the most wonderful time of the year can quickly turn into the most chaotic time of the year. As a policyholder, knowing what’s covered can not only ease the stress of the holiday season but will also provide clarity on what precautions to take to stay safe and prepared.

Fire Risks Hiding In Plain Sight

Residential fires occur for a number of reasons, yet the number of fires that occur each year during the holiday season are astronomical compared to the remainder of the year. Here are some common culprits that deserve a homeowner’s attention, as you start to enjoy your holidays:

Decoration Fires

To prevent Holiday fires from starting in the first place, it's important to be familiar with the guidelines to follow when decorating, here are just a few:

  • Never connect more than three strings of light together.
  • Inspect all electrical decorations for damage before use.
  • Keep your electrical plug-ins at least 10 feet away from power lines.
  • Avoid overloading extension cords or outlets with too many devices.
  • Check electrical cords for their intended use (outdoor VS indoor).

According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), there are around 835 home fires each year caused by decorations alone. Water your Christmas tree daily to reduce fire risks.

Cooking Fires

Seasonal fires can also be caused by unattended cooking, posing the second highest risk factor for residential fires during the holiday season. With everything going on this time of year from hosting family gatherings, food preparation, and juggling everything else, distractions are at an all-time high. Monitoring stoves, ovens, grills, deep fryers, and practicing safe cooking methods could save you and your family from a life altering disaster, just a simple 30 second distraction involving heat, food, and oil could be catastrophic.

  • Turn pot handles to face the back of the stove, to avoid getting bumped or pulled.
  • Keep a pan lid or baking sheet nearby to use as a cover if a pan catches on fire.
  • Stand next to open heat and turn off any burners when leaving the kitchen.
  • Pay attention to the heat levels when cooking and reduce them if you see boiling oil or smoke.

Lastly, the most dangerous recipe to tackle during the holidays is the deep-fried turkey, it’s equally risky as it is delicious! If you decide to go the deep fryer route, do it outside, far away from anything flammable or electrical, avoiding oil splattering at all costs. According to the NFPA, almost 50% of all cooking fires occur on Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day.

Tree and Candle Fires

A couple of other risks to look out for are Christmas trees and candles. While fires caused by these are less common than decorations and cooking, they’re still very dangerous.

  • Real Christmas trees have a tendency to catch fire easily, especially if they become dried out. To prevent this from happening, water your tree daily to reduce the risk of it drying out and becoming more flammable.
  • Artificial Christmas trees on the other hand are less of a risk because they’re much harder to catch on fire than the real ones. Regardless of their flame-retardant features it’s still important to keep your tree positioned safe and away from fireplaces, heaters, and any open flames.
  • Candles are another risk factor to watch out for, big or small they pose a serious threat to the holiday season. Regardless if they’re positioned in a safe space, there’s no guarantee that it won't catch something on fire, that's why taking the extra time to check for any lit candles before leaving your home could make all the difference.

It makes sense that the busiest days of the year also have the highest risk for accidents, with that being said here are some tips to keep in mind this holiday season to help prevent structural fires as well as to ensure you have the home and property insurance coverages you need this Holiday Season.

Additional Property Insurance Coverage

When it comes to insurance, details matter. That’s why it's so important to understand exactly what your policy type covers. In this case, did you know that additional buildings like rental properties, seasonal homes, detached garages, and workshops may not be covered under your standard homeowners insurance?

Detached buildings aren’t usually covered by existing insurance plans and require an additional home insurance policy to be fully protected.

The right homeowner fire insurance policies can even cover damage done to your secondary building as well, including smoke-related damage, which may be excluded from your primary policy. Keep in mind that policy coverage ranges based on situational factors like location, structure type, and its purpose. For example, if the secondary building is used for a small business or storage, you may need to get specialized coverage to get it fully protected.

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Get in touch with an independent insurance agent today at Nsurance Nation to confirm your policy has you covered. The most affordable provider for your Jacksonville homeowner’s insurance may vary as carriers do calculate the cost of premiums differently. Plus, individual homeowner’s needs also vary, so always make sure to get multiple quotes. Call us today at 1-833-450-9490. Our goal is to help you minimize unexpected costs and focus on the holiday cheer!

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