Summer Insurance Claims and Tips to avoid them
Summer is the most fun time of year, especially if you have school-aged kids, we are all outside more, and on the go. Summer can also lead to some expensive insurance claims, but we got your back and we’ve rounded up the top five insurance claims that happen during the summer. Read on to find out how to avoid them!
#1 Fire
Summer and outdoor fires go together like chocolate and marshmallows. Firepits, fire grills, and fireworks light up summertime, but they can also light up pretty hefty insurance claims if something goes wrong. U.S. fire departments responded to an average of 8,900 home fires per year in 2009-13 involving grills, hibachis, or barbecues, according to a report by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), causing $118 million in property damage, with almost all of it from structure fires. 83 percent of the home fires were from propane gas grills according to the NFPA, with leaks or breaks being the main causes of gas grill fires. Be sure to clean your grill and inspect all aspects of it, and never grill close to surfaces or structures that could easily catch fire. And no matter the type of fire, don’t leave it unattended. Keep a close eye on it, and on anyone who is handling the fire. Safety first!
#2 Car Accidents
Many families hit the road during the summer months for that long-awaited vacation. This means that the roads are busier than usual and the drivers on the road are eager to get to where they are going. The first bit of summer is known as the 100 Deadliest Days (AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety) because it is usually the time of year that deadly car accidents happen. The average number of deaths from crashes involving teen drivers ages 16-19 increases by 16 percent per day during this time. Teens are most at risk for death during these 100 days, so talk to your teen today about safe driving habits, and be sure to model these driving habits for them when you’re behind the wheel.
#3 Drownings
Summer also means, lots of time in the water! But not knowing how to swim could be deadly, even if you’re just in a backyard pool. Keep gates around pools securely shut, you can even install an alarm system that will alert you if something, or someone falls into the pool when you’re not around. Adding a fence around your pool will not only keep people safe but will also keep your insurance rates lower. Preventing death is the main goal, but remember, if you have to make an insurance claim because someone fell into your pool and drowned, then your rates will increase if the proper fencing wasn’t in place.
#4 Boating Accidents
According to the U.S. Coast Guard, recreational boating accidents caused $42 million in property damage, resulting in 626 deaths and 2,613 injuries in 2015. That’s a fatality rate of 5.3 deaths per 100,000 registered recreational vehicles! Take a boating safety class and have anyone who is on the boat wear a life jacket at all times.
#5 Home Break-ins
Summer vacations leave many main dwellings open to break-ins. According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, summertime sees a higher level of home burglaries than any other time of the year. While your home would be covered by your homeowner’s insurance if it were broken into, the risk of such a thing happening can be lowered by taking a few precautions. Install an alarm/video security system, add motion detection lights, have your neighbors or a friend come by and collect your mail and packages so they don’t pile up, and leave a vehicle in the driveway.
Summer should be a time to relax and have fun. Make sure you take just a few moments to prepare and plan for a safe, sunny summer so that you can skip having to make any costly insurance claims.