Thanksgiving is a time when loved ones gather to celebrate and enjoy a meal together, but it's also when home accidents, injuries, and crimes are more likely to occur. Learn three ways you can better protect yourself, your loved ones, and your personal property this holiday season, and how Aegis can partner with you for added insurance protection.
Have Fire Extinguishers Nearby
The two biggest fire risks at Thanksgiving come from kitchen fires and burning candles left unattended. Kitchens and backyards are busy places during Thanksgiving, and large gatherings of people can result in distracted or careless cooking, increasing the risk of catastrophic oven fires.
Every year people try to deep-fry their own turkeys at home, but there are two critical mistakes that can quickly lead to fires, injuries, and property damage: Never fry turkeys inside your home or garage, and only fry fully thawed turkeys – never a frozen turkey.
Also, people welcoming guests to their home might light candles to create a festive atmosphere, but then forget to put out those candles and leave them burning too long.
To protect your home and reduce the possibility of a fire and injuries, be sure to limit the number of people inside the busy kitchen, avoid burning candles too long, and have fire extinguishers nearby to put out any fires that might occur.
Secure Your Black Friday Purchases
After Thanksgiving festivities, shoppers hit the stores hoping to score great Black Friday sales and promotions, but thieves also prowl shopping centers, parking lots, and mall garages hoping to break into cars full of shopping bags. To avoid coming back to find broken car windows and merchandise stolen from your vehicles, avoid leaving shopping bags in plain sight, or try to park in brightly light, busy areas where thieves are less likely to strike.
Use Smart Doorbells and Camera Systems When Traveling
Finally, Thanksgiving may mean traveling to another town or state to visit with loved ones, leaving your home or apartment empty during the holidays. Avoid making your empty residence a target for burglars by using smart doorbells and light timers while you're away. Smart doorbells have cameras and monitoring systems that can alert you of any motion near your doors or front windows, and light timers be great deterrents for thieves or vandals in your area.
If you don't have the ability to use smart doorbells or alarm systems to protect your home or apartment, consider asking a trusted friend or neighbor to check on your property while you're away. This can help keep thieves at bay if they see activity at your home, and can also catch any major damage that could occur while you're away, such as burst water pipe that is leaking all over your home.
Aegis Helps Protect What Matters Most
Aegis Insurance & Financial Services proudly partners with individuals and families to protect what matters most, so we offer a full range of comprehensive Personal Insurance products that protect and provide peace of mind. Call us today at 713-850-7622 to learn about our Homeowners Insurance, Renter's Insurance, Auto Insurance, and more, or request a free quote online.