With the holidays quickly approaching, there are numerous precautions to take in order to prevent claims on your insurance on Turkey Day. With guests, a lot of food, and a lot of opportunity for error, it is important to make sure your home is ready to entertain and that your guests are prepared for the festivities you are planning for the day.
Fire
This is a common type of insurance claim; however, you would be surprised to know the frequency of fires on Thanksgiving. A lot of families bake, fry, and smoke turkeys. Each of these cooking methods is a great way to cook a meal, but only if made responsibly and carefully. The number of house fires on Thanksgiving increases each year. Some ways to prevent a house fire from cooking your Thanksgiving dishes include:
- Ventilation (open those windows!)
- Never leave your food cooking without being supervised
- Do not throw water on any kind of smoke or flame. This could cause a grease fire.
Food Poisoning
You would be surprised to know how often this type of claim comes up either on Thanksgiving or a day or two later. If your guests get food poisoning after your house, they are entitled to file a claim on your insurance policy and wind up with medical bills to cover. In order to prevent your guests from getting food poisoning, you should make sure your meats and other dishes are all cooked to their appropriate temperatures. Here is a great guide that outlines the proper temperatures that ensure the food you may prepare is fully cooked. Additionally, you should ensure that none of the food items you purchased for Thanksgiving are recalled.
Proof Your Home
Proofing your home to prevent injury is key. This year try proofing your home by making sure any necessary repairs are done prior to Turkey Day. If you have stairs, make sure they are not slippery. If you have fabric near your cooktop, move it out of the way to prevent any burns and even fire. If you are going to carve your turkey, make sure you do so in an area that is not surrounded by people to ensure the risk for a knife injury is minimized.
As you know, there are numerous factors that go into planning and entertaining on Thanksgiving. Making sure that your home is properly taken care of on this holiday will prevent any kind of homeowner’s insurance claim that a guest could file.
R&R Insurance Group hopes you have a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday! Make sure to stay safe and follow these tips to prevent any kind of mishap this year.
Contact Us:
LAKE OCONEE
1020 Parkside Commons, Suite 101-E
Greensboro, GA 30642