According to FEMA, an estimated 405,000 residential home fires yearly and 4.7 billion in property loss. 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 costs. 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… Lessening the damage is the next best thing.
A few things to consider:
Taking pride in your home means more than just keeping it clean. It also means keeping it safe.
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On average a home blaze happens every 87 seconds, 7 people die and 40 are injured. The number one cause of fire is kitchen stoves. Always be careful with grease and keep away clothing, paper products and pot holders.
There are 35 fires a day from candles in homes. Always test and make sure smoke detectors are installed properly, two thirds of all fire deaths happen when they are not working correctly.
We emphasize the importance of developing a fire escape plan for your family, making sure each family member understands what to do in an emergency.
Visit https://www.usfa.fema.gov/prevention/ for more detailed prevention ideas.
From all of us at Lock Insurance we want you to have a safe holiday, keep your family safe, and never have to go through a fire claim. But if you do, we are here for you and your family, and we will take care of every step of the way.
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