Protect Your Home from Fires!

According to FEMA there are an estimated 405,000 in residential home fires a year and 4.7 billion in property loss. The fact is, some of these fires could have been prevented or damage mitigated if the residents had been alerted early. The average cost of a smoke alarm is ten dollars and the astonishing fact is that 6% of Americans do not have them. When millions are paid out a year in insurance claims, everyone pays.

To the policyholder, a fire claim can cause your homeowner premiums to rise dramatically; it can also cause your policy to be non-renewed from your current insurance carrier.

To make matters worse, a fire claim can hinder and in most cases prevent any other potential insurance carrier from underwriting your policy. Claims in general affect everyone, because insurance companies have to offset cost, rate increases across the board are a factor, so don’t be surprised if you too see a rate increase on your policy.

In an ideal world preventing a claim would be the way to go, but prevention is not always an option… Lessoning the damage is the next best thing.

A few things to consider:

• First, make sure you have a proper working smoke alarm, replacing the batteries when needed.
• Second, make sure candles are blown out, stoves are turned off, and appliances unplugged, among other things.
• Third, make sure you know the location of your fire extinguisher and more importantly make sure it has been service, as fire extinguishers do not normally expire, however some may need to be recharged.

Taking pride in your home means more than just keeping it clean, it also means keeping it safe.