Insurance is certainly not the first thing that most people think about when they hear someone mention “Thanksgiving”. The typical conversation revolving around Thanksgiving will be about all of the delicious food everyone will be eating and the friends and family everyone will be seeing, but underneath all of that holiday fun is the little known fact that Thanksgiving is the peak day for cooking fires (which makes sense since everyone and their grandmother, literally, is cooking). With Thanksgiving fast approaching, here are some helpful facts and tips for you to keep the holidays safe:

  1. About 70% of the fires on Thanksgiving Day are directly related to cooking. Thus, being prepared for a fire is the most important thing. Accidents happen, so make sure you have working and up-to-date fire extinguishing equipment in the case of a fire emergency.
  2. Turkey Fryers present their own set of obstacles and fire hazards, so make sure you keep the following in mind if you are using a deep fryer to prepare your holiday Turkey:
    1. Turkey fryers can tip over, spilling large amounts of hot oil across large area, so be very cautious while using your fryer.
    2. Make sure your fryer is not overfilled with oil. Placing a turkey inside an overfilled fryer will cause oil to spill over and catch fire.
    3. Make sure your turkey is completely thawed out before placing it inside of the hot oil. A partially frozen turkey will cause hot oil to splatter, which could in turn cause a fire.
    4. Be aware of your turkey fryer overheating. an overheated turkey fryer can easily start a fire.
    5. Finally, protect yourself, and family and friends in your home, from burning themselves on the turkey fryer. The pot, handles, and lids of the fryer can get very hot and easily cause burn injuries.

This would be a great time to contact your agent or broker to double check your insurance coverage. When consulting your agent, be sure to address the following:

    1. Make sure the “Replacement Cost” listed on your dwelling policy is sufficient. If are not insured at a sufficient replacement cost you may be in danger of a coinsurance violation. Coinsurance requirements require the individual to insure a property for a certain percentage of the total value of the property. If the insured does not carry the required amount of insurance, the insurance company will only cover a percentage of a loss, not the entire loss. This is why it is vital to carry the correct amount of insurance.
    2. You should also make sure you are carrying a sufficient amount of liability and medical payments insurance. The holidays are typically great times when families get together and get to enjoy some quality time together. This means that there will be more people on your property than usual, right? Now, you would hope that you could trust your family members not to sue you for slipping on your wet kitchen floor and breaking their wrist, but it is not uncommon. It is also not uncommon for family members to bring friends along on the holidays, which again will increase the risk of a slip and fall type claim. We can always hope for the best, but it is even smarter to prepare for the worst.

Before you begin your wonderfully fun and food-filled Thanksgiving weekend, take a few moments to contact your insurance broker to make sure you are fully protected for the holiday hazards. If you feel that you aren’t getting a straight answer from your agent, send us an email and we will be glad to give you some more help!

Enjoy your Holiday!