Summer Safety Starts At Home: Preventing The Most Common Summer Insurance Claims
Summer, while a fun season, comes with a lot of events that can bring insurance claims for homeowners. Vacations, parties, bonfires, swimming, high temperatures, and more makes summer one of the best times of the year. However, as we said before, these types of gatherings bring a lot of risk for homeowners. Accidents outside with kids and the risk of heavy storms damaging your property, a lot of these claims can be stopped before they happen. With the proper preparation, you can have a stress-free, claim-free summer. Being proactive helps to keep you, your family, your property, and your summer fun safe. Ebensburg Insurance is here to protect you, your family, and your property this summer.
Damage Due to Weather and Storms
Storms in the summer show up quickly and get bad fast. These storms, if you aren’t prepared for them, can cause severe damage to your home and any other properties you may have. Rain, hurricanes, wind, hail, lightning, and other catastrophic weather events are far more common in the summer than in any other season. There are ways to reduce the risks your properties face during this season. Some of these tactics are listed below.
Clean your gutters and downspouts at the top of the summer and regularly throughout it.
Trim the trees around your house and cut down any trees that may be a threat to any structure on your property.
Check your roof for bad shingles that could cause leaks or further damage to your roof over the summer.
Secure your outdoor furniture or do not place it near any windows.
Potential Water Damage Disasters
Like we said before, summer storms are no joke. Your drainage system has to be up to the task, especially on the East Coast. While we don’t face much risk for hurricanes or tsunamis in Pennsylvania, we still feel the effects of them all the way up here. Water damage and swerve backups can be detrimental for your home and can cause the arrival of large insurance claims. Along with the regular water damage that these can cause, there comes the added risk of mold and repair costs. Listed below are some things you can do to prepare for these potential damages.
Make sure your sewage pumps are working how they should and that they aren’t damaged in any way.
Make sure your plumping is up to code and does not have any leaks or require any repairs.
Keep your drains clean.
Check over your coverage and make sure any potential damages are included in your policy.
Swimming Pools and Other Liabilities
A lot of outside play activities are liability risks for homeowners. Things like swimming pools and trampolines can cause accidents that you never saw coming and didn’t prepare for. Injuries resulting from these types of activities on your property can put you at risk for medical costs or even legal battles in some cases. While things like pools, trampolines, and backyard sports games are fun for kids and adults alike, some safety measures should be taken to protect you and those on your property.
Fences and gates around pools that will keep unsupervised children out.
Use pool covers that do not cave in and supervise your pool diligently, especially when there are children around.
Read over your policy and make sure you know what is covered in your policy and if you want more secure coverage, contact your local agent and let them know.
Theft During Vacations and Other Travel
Vacations in the summer can be a place for some of the best memories of the year! This being said, when you vacation you leave your house unattended for days or even weeks at a time. This leaves it open to intruders, especially if they have some way of telling that you aren’t there. This can put you at risk for burglary. There are some ways to prevent this or at least lower your risk of intrusion or theft.
Lock all of the ways into your house before you leave, including doors, windows, and basement entrances if you have them.
Pause or delay any deliveries you may have coming while you’ll be away.
Avoid broadcasting that you’re traveling or far away from home on social media or other publicly accessible places online. Ask someone to house-sit for you while you’re away.
Install a security system if you don’t already have one.
Keep Your Family and Your Home Safe This Summer
Summer is a fun and busy time, but hopefully also a relaxing one. You should be able to enjoy your home and all the work you’ve put into it. You shouldn’t have to waste your precious hours of summer worrying about injuries on your property or insurance claims that could have been avoided with some preparation. By planning ahead and doing your due diligence on your property, you can make sure that your summer remains fun and protected. Review your insurance coverage before all of the summer excitement starts. The agents here at Ebensburg Insurance are here to help you make sure your policy is up to par or update it for you. We are here for you for the expected and the unexpected. Contact us today at (814) 472-9557.
