Homeowners Insurance Protects You from Halloween Horrors

Halloween is all fun and games -- until your overloaded power strip heats up and causes a fire or a trick-or-treater trips over a fake headstone and sprains an ankle.

Fortunately, most homeowners insurance and premises liability policies cover these common Halloween home mishaps.

Halloween Home Horrors

Tricksters damage your home. Standard homeowners policies cover vandalism, such as eggs thrown at your home that cause dents in your siding, when repair costs exceed your deductible. Experts say vandalism and theft-related insurance claims can climb this time of year, according to WTOP News.
Candles, lights, or decorations cause a fire. Most homeowners know the risk of burning candles and avoid using them in jack-o'-lanterns. But your policy will cover a fire started by a Halloween candle or a string of holiday lights. If you can't live in your home because of fire damage, your homeowners policy policy will pay your living expenses while you wait for repairs.
Something on your property injures a trick-or-treater. The homeowner liability portion of your policy usually covers injuries to trick-or-treaters or party guests. The injured person files a claim with your insurer.

You crash your car into a telephone pole to avoid hitting a trick-or-treater in your driveway. The collision portion of your auto insurance would cover that accident. If you hurt anyone, the liability portion of your auto insurance would cover the cost of their treatment.

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If everything on this list of Halloween home horrors occurred and you have umbrella insurance, that would cover the costs.

To make your property safe for Halloween, the Insurance Information Institute and other sources recommend:

Clearing out leaves and brush from your walkways to avoid slippery surfaces and falls.
Lighting your home and yard well so trick-or-treaters (and their parents) can see where they're going.
Tying down electrical wires. Certain costumes may lead to tripping, especially if children are wearing masks and aren't familiar with your property.
Keeping handrails and railings secure. Kids and and adults can easily fall while climbing stairs if railings are loose.
Separating pets from trick-or-treaters. Your pets may not welcome costumed, unknown visitors.
Keeping decorations away from open flames or heat sources. Decorations are extremely flammable. Use battery-operated bulbs, not candles, to illuminate items like jack-o'-lanterns.
Parking your vehicle in a safe place like a garage. Auto theft and vandalism increase on Halloween because of personal items left in cars, says Policygenuis.
Setting your security systems and motion detectors. Especially if you're away from home on Halloween, this may discourage vandals and burglars.

Taking some extra precautions will help you keep the Halloween fun going strong.