Common Causes For Homeowners Insurance Claims During Thanksgiving

Posted November 16, 2015

Thanksgiving Day is a time for friends, family, and food. Unfortunately it is also one of the number one days for claims on homeowner’s insurance policies. With the colder weather, stress of planning for family to visit, and lots and lots of cooking, homeowners have mishaps and accidents more often. These holiday happenings include:

Fires!

Thanksgiving has more cooking related fires than any other day of the year. Many families define the word FEAST on Thanksgiving Day and that amounts to A LOT of food to prepare and a lot of pans to juggle. Unattended cooking is the main reason for fire damage.

Not only do fires happen in the kitchen where a pot may be forgotten on the stove while you catch up with the score of the football game on television, but the popularity of deep fried turkeys has increased increasing the instances of fires outdoors as well!

A few things to remember include:

• Check on cooking food often or simply stay in the kitchen while it is cooking
• Keep flammable items away from open flames including hot pads, oven mitts, food packaging etc.
• Stay alert and try not to cook while intoxicated

Food poisoning

Something that many homeowners probably don’t consider but should be aware of is that if a guest becomes sick after eating at their house, they may be liable. Insurance companies advise taking common sense steps regarding food preparation, storage, and hygiene. If a guest gets food poisoning, the homeowners insurance will likely cover a trip to the ER but any medical bills in excess of that may be cause for a law suit.

Injuries

In addition to being liable for sickness caused by food served, a homeowner may be liable for any injuries sustained by a guest. Thanksgiving holds many traditions for many families including the watching or PLAYING of football games, drinking alcohol, or sadly family fighting. If there is an injury resulting from any of these activities, including if a guest drives while intoxicated after leaving, there could be a claim against the homeowner’s policy. If you need help disputing a denied homeowners insurance claim schedule a free consultation online or call The Bennett Law Firm at 405.272.0303 to discuss your legal options with an experienced Oklahoma City lawyer today. No Recovery, No Fee!