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Personal Insurance

Preparing Your Home For Fall Weather

By September 14, 2022June 22nd, 2023No Comments

With the changing of the seasons comes different types of insurance claims. To help prevent a possible loss to your home, here are some helpful tips to prepare your house for the cooler days ahead.

Falling Leaves Could Mean Falling People – As beautiful as the fall foliage is to view, the falling leaves can be equally frustrating and dangerous. Be mindful of leaves- especially wet ones- in your driveway or walkway, as they can cause someone to slip and fall. If a visitor or delivery person injures themselves, your personal liability insurance will provide a certain degree of financial cushion, but it’s best to prevent this situation entirely.

The Autumn Season Down the Gutter – The lovely falling leaves can quickly go from calming to chaotic if they clog your gutters. Keep your rain gutters cleared so that drainage isn’t blocked on your roof. Especially in areas that get hit by heavy rain or hurricanes, if water isn’t draining properly away from your home, it may result in roof leaks, subsequent flooding and water damage. This is extremely important because some insurance carriers won’t cover claims if they were a result of neglected gutters.

Gone with the Wind – In some areas, hurricane season goes all the way into November. Even if you aren’t in a directly hurricane-prone area, you may live in a place that gets secondary storms or tornadoes. Review your policy with an agent, as not every homeowner’s policy includes windstorm coverage.

The Bad Kind of Leftovers – While strong winds have the strength to remove shingles, siding and other cosmetic elements off your property, they also can leave lots of damage and evidence of their appearance in their wake. Strong gusts, especially when paired with heavy rainfall, can cause broken windows, flying debris, fallen trees and flooding. Homeowners often assume their policy will cover such claims and are disappointed to find out it doesn’t only in the aftermath of a bad storm.

Earth, Wind & Fire – Less heat, colder weather does not mean less chance for fire. Whether you’re enjoying s’mores by your fire pit, cozying up next to your fireplace or lighting your pumpkin-scented candles around the house, there are precautions you should take to prevent flames and smoke from damaging your home. If you are inside, never leave an open flame unattended. And even if you are keeping an eye on your candles and fireplace, make sure any breeze from fans, vents or cracked windows is directed away from the flame. Before you use your fireplace, have your chimney inspected and cleaned. It’s also wise to take this time to make sure you have your fire extinguisher accessible and to test your smoke detectors.

Sleep Better at Night – Whether you’re already a client or not, work with a McConkey agent to review your policy. They can help you to identify gaps in your coverage, find areas you may be overpaying for and provide you quotes from many carriers to get you the best deal for a policy tailored exactly to fit your family’s needs.

Jody Czap, CISR

Personal Lines Supervisor jczap@ekmcconkey.com 717-505-3133

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