From candy to costumes, Halloween is a fun time for everyone – including thieves.
Experts say insurance claims related to theft and vandalism are often higher at this time of year. In fact, they say vandalism claims are as high as 72%.
When you’re out with the kids, going around the neighbourhood, trick-or-treating, that’s the perfect time for someone to take advantage of that opportunity,” said insurance agent Joshua Harders of Harders and Bradford Insurance Agency in Silver Spring, Maryland.
He told WTOP that potential fire hazards in the home are another reason for the increase in insurance claims.
“You know, like lighting a candle and forgetting to put it out,” Harders said. “Or with decorations, we see a lot of people overloading power strips, daisy-chaining extension cords, and that can create excess heat.”
According to the National Fire Protection Association, nearly 800 home fires are reported each Halloween, causing $13 million in property damage.
“It doesn’t take long for something to start and cause damage,” says Harders.
The number of people injured on your property also tends to increase around this time, says Harders.
But you can reduce the number of liability claims by making sure the yard and walkways are clear of anything that could cause someone to fall or get hurt on the property.
And vehicle theft claims spike around Halloween because people leave personal items in their cars.
“If you have a vehicle, park it in a safe place. If you can, park in a garage, preferably with a camera, make sure everything is out of sight and don’t leave anything of value in the vehicle,” said Harders. Harders said.
While you should have fun on Halloween, Harders says it is worth going the extra mile to protect yourself.
“It’s a wonderful time, everyone is very festive and it seems like the energy is good and just doing the bare minimum to make sure you’re protecting yourself, your home and your neighbours will go a long way,” he said.
