A Look at Common Homeowners Claims in Winter and Easy Steps to Prevent a Few
This article will focus on just a few common homeowners insurance claims and very simple steps you can take to avoid them. There is an endless list of things that could go wrong. And preventing all claims could be very expensive. For instance removing a leaning tree from your backyard could cost thousands.
But there are a few common claims that can easily be mitigated- for free! Here are a few we’ll focus on.
A few common homeowners claims in winter are:
1) Frozen pipes
2) Theft
4) Home fires
Prevent Frozen Pipes While you Travel for the Holidays.
The pipes in most homes are in the interior walls of the home. This means as long as the heat is running, there is typically low risk of pipes freezing. However, if you’re traveling and the power goes out, well then we could have a problem. The water in the pipes freezes and expands damaging the pipes themselves. Then when the power comes back on, that’s when the real damage occurs.
Thawing pipes flood the house with hundreds or thousands of gallons of water for days. Unfortunately you’re likely to discover this when you get back from your travels.
Water damage, mold, warping, and a massive water bill welcoming you home. Ugly.
The Free Solution
Turn off your water! Why not?
Simply turning off the main supply won’t prevent frozen pipes, but we’re only going after the easy fixes here.
If you really want to do it right, you’ll need to drain the whole system. Which isn’t all that difficult either.
Avoid Holiday Theft Claims
Thieves are lazy, but they’re not dumb. Many break ins are opportunistic. And most thieves are looking for easy pickings. They don’t want to sneak into your home in the middle of the night and risk running into you. Most thieves prefer to work in broad daylight when no one is home.
There are lots of tactics for minimizing your risk of theft. Cameras, security systems, dogs and smart lighting just to name a few. But how those all cost money
The Free Option
Don’t announce that your home is empty.
On vacation in Cabo for a week. Post that picture of a margarita when you get home. I know, the urge is overwhelming to show your best life on the gram. But you can hold off for a week, right?
Now, if you’re a lowlife looking for a house to rob, how’s this timeline sound?
“Hey fam, get ready for the super bowl. New 75” HD with all the fixins just got installed. Surrounds sounds great #toys”
“See you suckers in a week. We are beach-bound baby. Hold my calls. Hope the fish survive LOL #vacation”
“Just landed, 85 and sunny. Enjoy the snow #vacation”
Looks like you just let them know that no one’s home and you had a lucrative Christmas. Don’t do that.
Lower Your Chance of a Fire this Winter
Obviously you need to take more than basic steps to avoid fire. Don’t leave fireplaces unattended. Install smoke detectors. Have your chimneys professionally cleaned. Yes, you need to do those things.
But according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission space heaters cause ~21,800 residential fires every year. Space heaters cause fires.
Free Fire Prevention
Only use a space heater when you will be in the room.
Seriously, turn that thing off if you’re leaving the room.
Newer models have improved safety features, and they’re getting better. But statistics don’t lie.
Conclusion: Wrap Up and Final Thoughts
The goal was to provide a few free, low commitment, actionable items you can do to lower your chances of a homeowners claim. Hopefully these will help.
Prevention is the best insurance. But if you do need to file a homeowners claim you’ll want top notch coverage. Be sure you’re discussing your coverage with your agent regularly to keep up with changes to your home and your life?
If you’re looking for an independent insurance agency to help you find great coverage at a great price, we just might be what you’ve been searching for. We offer independent, unbiased advice and will compare prices among the top providers to get you the best rate possible.
Call today for a free home insurance quote. And happy holidays!