Did you know there are 24% more crime-related home insurance claims on Halloween than any other day of the year? (NBC)
As Halloween is approaching, prepare for the increase of insurance claims that may directly affect adjusters and insurance companies. Although Halloween is supposed to be a day full of fun and spooky amusement, Halloween may actually cause more damage than good.
In this blog, we share four of the most common home insurance claims that occur due to Halloween. This Halloween season, your policyholders may be haunted by unfortunate property damages from vandalism to theft and house fires, while an increased workload may spook adjusters.
It’s important to encourage all of your policyholders to be extra cautious this year, especially those that may be displaced due to Halloween festivities. First, learn how to reduce the risk by learning these four major insurance claims that may haunt you and policyholders this October.
Jack O’ Lanterns May Trick More Than Treat
During Halloween, policyholders tend to share their spooky spirit with jack o’ lanterns. On October 31st, 2020, 38 various fires resulted in $450,000 of damage on Halloween night in Vancouver, according to a firefighter chief, who discussed the Halloween craziness with CTV News. With hundreds of thousands in property damage, make sure you inform policyholders to blow out those flames in their pumpkins and stay on high alert for any fire that they may see.
Unfortunately, if the flame isn’t blown out, it may become out of control. Depending on weather and wind, crime, and more, jack o’ lanterns have a terrible history of causing fires that result in severe damage to homes.
Encourage policyholders to blow out all candles before the night’s over or promote flameless candles instead. The last thing anyone wants is a jack o’ lantern in flames after a long night of trick-or-treaters.
Vandalism and Mischief
On Halloween, 19% of home insurance claims are related to vandalism and mischief, leaving policyholders with damage to their property (Policy Genius). Eggs, toilet paper, and rocks thrown through windows are just some of the most common vandalism acts performed on Halloween. Beyond the primary hooligan mischief, some individuals take it farther by vandalizing personal items like cars, bikes or scooters.
In some cases of extensive damage, vandalism can even displace your policyholders. If a policyholder is displaced due to Halloween, they have to find immediate temporary housing while their homes get repaired or fixed up to make them safe again. This type of property vandalism can be seen with smashed windows, broken doors, or excessive home damages. Unfortunately, this type of vandalism astronomically increases on Halloween night.
Ensure you inform policyholders that keeping their property lit up with interior or exterior lighting can reduce the chances of vandalism. By encouraging policyholders to keep their lights on and their doors locked, you have a better chance of limiting your workload and reducing the number of home insurance claims this year.
Inflatable Sparks
With 3,924,041 children between 5-14 years old in Canada, policyholders spend a lot of money on various decorations to impress the Halloween-loving crowds and trick-or-treaters. Many people’s go-to Halloween decorations are inflatables. Whether it’s a spider, skeleton, or pumpkin blow-up, they all have one commonality: they often need an extension cord to keep them afloat.
According to ESFI, around 3,300 home fires are created from extension cords annually. When running an extension cord to blow up decorations, remind policyholders to strictly use exterior cords, as interior cords might increase the risk of overheating and cause fires that damage their property.
Although it’s easier to pull out a cord from inside the home, the risks are far greater. Reduce home insurance claims by encouraging policyholders to eliminate as many risks as possible.
Spooked by Theft
Another common but unfortunate terror associated with Halloween is the rise in theft. According to Policy Genius, 60% of crime-related claims on Halloween are from on-premises thefts. Items like expensive Halloween decorations, bikes, scooters, property decor, and more have all been reported stolen from properties on Halloween night or reported missing in the morning.
Beyond exterior theft, thieves may also attempt to break into your policyholder’s home. This not only puts valuable possessions at risk, but it also puts policyholders and their families at risk. Home invasions can be detrimental for your policyholders, causing them a lot of stress and fear.
In order to prevent or reduce these events, policyholders have to adjust to protect their property better. If policyholders appear to be home, active and awake, these criminals are less likely to intrude or damage their property.
Beware of Halloween Home Insurance Claims
Although it’s spooky season, working with displaced policyholders this October doesn’t have to be so scary.
With an increase in claims from Halloween, ensure you are prepared for the extra workload this October. Fires, vandalism, mischief and theft are just a few of the common claims that are made during this season.
Unfortunately, these Halloween home insurance claims may sometimes result in a disastrous situation that involves displaced policyholders. If any of your policyholders are displaced from their homes post-Halloween, turn to Accomsure.
At Accomsure, we can help your policyholders through these challenging times and help support adjusters and insurance companies as well. We help reduce policyholder stress and make the process of finding temporary housing accommodations as easy as possible. Regardless of the unique accommodation requirements made by policyholders, allow us to help bring them back to their feet.
As Halloween approaches, embrace the spooky season without the overwhelming increased workload. Let Accomsure assist and support you this season. Submit a claim today!
