We spend so much time perfecting our costumes and piling up the candy bowl in preparation for Halloween that we often overlook the hazards that come with it. With 41 million kids estimated to go trick-or-treating this year, it’s going to be a busy night. Here are three common occurrences you’ll want to make sure you’re protected from ahead of time:
1. Your prized carved pumpkin goes up in flames.
It only takes a second for a flame to set fire to the side of your home if you’re not careful. The National Fire Incident Reporting System reports that residential fires specifically result in the most deaths, injuries, and property loss than any other type of fire on Halloween. But, what’s Halloween without flickering jack o'lanterns surrounding your front door? Instead of using a lit candle inside of your pumpkins, opt for battery-powered ones—and never keep matches or lighters in reach of your children. Place any strings of light or lit decorations far away from dry leaves or hay piles. In the event a fire does erupt and cause damage, home and renters insurance will usually provide the coverage you need to repair your property.
2. An egging goes wrong and breaks your car window.
Vehicle vandalism is on the rise on Halloween as kids are galavanting neighborhoods and looking to stir up a little trouble. In fact, car vandalism is twice as high on October 31st than other days every year. Make sure your cars are put in the garage or try to park away from the street in a secure area. If you’re stuck on the street, you could cover your car with a tarp to try to protect it from any flying objects that may come its way. If your car does end up in a line of fire, your auto insurance policy typically covers this type of damage. But, it may make sense to first weigh the extent of the damage before filing a claim. (Not all eggs are created equal.)
3. A trick-or-treater is on a sugar high and falls down your concrete steps (or worse, provokes your dog).
When your porch light is on, trick-or-treaters are signaled that your candy bowl is full. But, an overdose of sugar and excitement for their next hull means kids are often running around without paying much attention to where they’re going. Thirty-eight hundred Halloween-related injuries occur every year. Make sure any areas trick-or-treaters will be approaching your door for candy are well lit. Remove any debris from walkways and keep checking throughout the night that they’re still clear. Additionally, keep all pets locked up inside so they don’t get excited by all of the activity and unintentionally go after or bite a trick-or-treater. Typically, injuries sustained on your property are covered by your homeowner liability clause, but you’ll need to double check that your policy also protects you from harm caused by your pet (see our previous post).
These are just a few Halloween-related hazards that we get asked about. Let us walk you through some of the others by reaching out to us today.