Boo! Halloween Safety and Insurance Coverage

Thankfully, this year Halloween falls on a Friday, which is better for most kids and parents because it is not on a school-night.  Halloween is fun, but sometimes things happen, and it is good to know you are doing everything you can to protect you and the goblins who may be visiting your home.

Take these steps to make your home safe for trick-or-treaters, so you can avoid Halloween disasters!

• Remove any objects around the outside of your house that could cause someone to trip or fall.
• Turn on your outside light, so children will know they can visit your home.
• Keep candles, jack-o-lanterns, matches and lighters in a place that children cannot reach.
• Keep pets inside and away from trick-or-treaters and lit candles, especially if they are easily frightened or become over-excited in the presence of strangers.
• If using decorative lights indoors or outdoors, use lights certified by a recognized organization such as UL (Underwriters Laboratories). Check lights for broken or cracked sockets, frayed or bare wires or loose connections. Discard damaged sets. Do not overload extension cords. 

The good news - your insurance provides coverage for many Halloween-related disasters:

• A trick-or-treater is injured on your property
  If a trick-or-treater or Halloween party guest is accidently injured in your house or apartment, you will be covered under the liability portion of your homeowners or renters insurance policy, if the injured guest should sue you.  Under most policies, there is also medical payments coverage available that the injured party could file their medical claim with your insurance company and avoid a lawsuit. Not everyone is familiar with this coverage, but it provides very important financial protection. Talk to your Trusted Choice Agent and verify you have this valuable coverage on your policy.
• You crash your car into a tree to avoid hitting a trick-or-treaterWe all plan to drive slowly and carefully, but a group of excited trick-or-treaters could dart in front of your car causing you to swerve and hit a tree, but you should be covered under a good insurance policy. Talk to your Trusted Choice Agent and verify you have this valuable coverage on your policy.  Accidents that do not involve another driver or pedestrian are covered under the optional collision portion of an auto insurance policy. If another car or person is involved in the accident, the liability portion of your auto policy would kick in.
• Your home or car is the target of mischief Standard homeowners and renters insurance policies provide coverage for vandalism. A deductible must be paid first, and if you suffer expensive damage to your home or possessions your insurance policy will help you be financially protected. If your car is damaged by trick-or-treaters, you have coverage under the comprehensive portion of your auto insurance policy, if you carry it on your policy.  Talk to your Trusted Choice Agent and verify you have this valuable coverage on your policy.
• There is a fire in your home If a Halloween candle or electrically powered decoration causes a fire, the damage will be covered under a standard homeowners and renters insurance policies. Talk to your Trusted Choice Agent and verify you have this valuable coverage on your policy.  If the fire is significant enough to make your home unlivable, you would also want to be covered for additional living expenses, such as having to check into a hotel while your home is being repaired.

Your Trusted Choice Insurance Agent, SouthGroup Insurance Gulf Coast wants you to know you can call on us with your questions or concerns seeking more helpful advice or answers to your pressing insurance questions. A full insurance review is always your best bet to make sure you have all of the adequate coverage for your personal insurance needs. Remember, we offer a personalized insurance review to anyone who is interested at no charge – just visit any one of our 3 convenient coastal locations!

We are your LOCAL Trusted Choice Advisors, SouthGroup-Gulf Coast http://www.southgroupgulfcoast.com ,  SALES AND SERVICE AGENTS: Angelyn Treutel Zeringue, Tammy Garfield, Tammy Hogue, Brittany Jones, Denise Russell, Melissa Moran, Alex Treutel, Anne Gillam, Ashlie Moody, Mark Strickland, and Whitney Zimmerman at SouthGroup Gulf Coast. You can reach us by snail-mail or in person: 412 Hwy 90, Suite 6, Bay St Louis MS 39520, email: info@southgropugulfcoast.com , phone: 228-466-4498 fax:888-415-8922,  FaceBook www.facebook.com/southgroup.gulfcoast, or Twitter www.twitter.com/atreutel !

We have 3 Gulf Coast locations to serve you - 2505 Pass Road - Biloxi, 5400 Indian Hill-Diamondhead, and 412 Hwy 90 Suite 6-Bay Saint Louis, MS. We write coverage in 40 different states and can assist you with Mississippi insurance, Louisiana insurance, and Alabama insurance and many other states.

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