Halloween safety tips with home insurance advice

While you may be looking forward to a fun Halloween, accidents happen. Thankfully, homeowners insurance helps protect you from covered incidents. For example, if a visitor trips on your decorations, it may help cover expensive medical bills up to your policy's limits.

However, with preparation, you may be able to help prevent mishaps and unnecessary insurance claims. For added peace of mind, use the following Halloween safety tips.

Halloween safety tips with home insurance advice

Use these seven tips to help ensure trick-or-treaters are safe when visiting your home on Halloween.

1. Clear your walkway

Chaperones and their youngsters may be navigating dark streets while burdened with heavy costumes, masks and overflowing candy bags. Providing them with a clear path to your front door may be vital to their safety.

Ensure your walkways and steps are free of decorations, cords and debris. Liability insurance may help cover injuries, but you don’t want to contribute to those injuries. It pays to be proactive.

2. Avoid open flames

Protect your guests and property by eliminating flames from your decorations. Safer alternatives, like electric candles, help provide a safe, spooky flicker without the same risks.

While homeowners insurance may help protect your property in the event of a fire, it’s best to avoid flames for a safer Halloween.

3. Secure your pets

Many kids fear dogs, even if yours is well-trained and gets along with everyone. Moreover, costumed visitors, sooky sounds and scary decorations could agitate your pets. They could also eat fallen candy, resulting in an emergency visit to your veterinarian.

In the name of Halloween safety, keeping pets inside, without access to your doorway, is best. However, if your dog does bite someone, your homeowners or renters insurance may help protect you. For added peace of mind, check with your insurance agent to confirm.

4. Discourage vandalism

One of the best Halloween safety tips is to protect your home and guests with motion sensor lights and security cameras. The motion sensor lights can help visitors navigate dark walkways, while the cameras may help discourage destructive behavior. They also help prevent vandalism after trick-or-treaters have gone home.

Nevertheless, even the best home security system won't prevent some vandals from damaging your home and belongings. In that case, your homeowners insurance may help protect you from covered losses up to your policy's limits.

Contact your American Family Insurance agent before Halloween to ensure you're covered. You may even qualify for our Safe, Secure, Smart Home discount if you have a security system.

5. Participate even when you're away

It's best to leave a bowl of candy by your door for trick-or-treaters, even if you can't partake in the holiday fun. Your participation is meaningful to your costume-clad neighbors.

Consider leaving a festive bowl of candy on your well-lit, camera-protected front door. For added Halloween safety, you could leave a festive sign asking visitors to do a silly dance for your security camera before taking one piece each.

6. Lock your doors

Before the Halloween fun begins, park and lock vehicles in your garage. Ensure your home's windows and doors are locked, too.

While your homeowners insurance may help cover theft, it's best to help prevent it proactively. If your belongings exceed your policy's limits, consider scheduled personal property coverage to minimize out-of-pocket expenses after filing a claim.

7. Protect your home

Maintaining an up-to-date homeowners insurance policy is an excellent way to protect your home and visitors this holiday season. Contact your American Family Insurance agent for a policy review before Halloween for added peace of mind. You may even qualify for a bundling discount or our other savings programs.

This article is for informational purposes only and based on information that is widely available. This information does not, and is not intended to, constitute legal or financial advice. You should contact a professional for advice specific to your situation.

The information on this webpage represents only a brief description of coverages, is not part of your policy, and is not a promise or guarantee of coverage. If there is any conflict between this information and your policy, the provisions of the policy will prevail. Insurance policy terms and conditions may apply. Coverage features and limits vary by state and may be subject to change. Some products are not available in every state. Discount availability and eligibility vary by state and policy terms. (Discounts apply to auto and property policies.) Please check with your agent and read the policy for exact details on coverages and exclusions.

*Customers who bundle home and auto insurance policies may save up to 23% on both policies together (as of December 2023). Discounts may vary by state, property, policy form and company underwriting the home and/or auto policy. Discounts may not apply to all coverages on a home or auto policy.