Penn. Regulators Offer Advice on Insurance Coverage for Halloween Hazards

Soon, trick-or-treaters will hit the streets for Halloween. But with so many unpredictable elements at play, the chances of an accident or mishap are increased this time of the year.

Kids in costumes, neighborhood foot traffic, candles and general Halloween high jinks, all add to the risks. Pennsylvania Department of Insurance notes that, fortunately, insurance can provide coverage for many possible Halloween-related disasters including:

• Damage to the home or car due to Halloween mischief: Standard homeowners and renters insurance policies provide coverage for vandalism.

There will be a deductible before the policy starts to pay, but if the insured suffers expensive damage to the home or possessions, the insured will be financially protected. In the event that the insured’s car is damaged, there is coverage under the optional comprehensive portion of the auto insurance policy.

• A fire in the home due to candles or decorations: If a candle or electrically powered decoration causes a fire, any damage will be covered by standard homeowners and renters insurance policies.

If the fire is significant enough that the home is uninhabitable, the insured would be covered for additional living expenses, including hotel room costs while the home is being repaired.

• If a trick-or-treater is injured on the insured’s property: If a trick-or-treater or Halloween party guest is accidentally injured on the insured’s property, the policyholder would be covered under the liability portion of the homeowners or renters insurance policy if the guest sues.

Standard policies also include no-fault medical coverage so that the injured guest can file their medical claim with the policyholder’s insurance company and avoid a lawsuit.

Source: Pennsylvania Department of Insurance