How to Have a Fun, Safe Holiday Party

Photo: Westbay Management

There are plenty of things to look forward to during the holidays—beautiful music, decorating your house both inside and out, and just being with your nearest and dearest, whether it’s at an informal get-together or a black-tie holiday gala.

No matter how you choose to celebrate, you want to keep both your guests and your property safe. Below are a few tips to host a fun, safe gathering.

Make it family-friendly.  It’s not easy for everyone to get a sitter. Alleviate some of the pressure on your guests by inviting the kids along, too.  Have activities for the little ones, like a holiday-themed craft, movie marathon, and some games. Designate one or two responsible teenagers to oversee the activities so both the kids and adults can enjoy the night.

Suggest a potluck. If you’re on a budget, a potluck meal is your best option. If you’re having a traditional dinner, as host you’d be responsible for the main course and your guests can bring the side dishes. Or if you’re laying out a buffet, make one or two dishes and ask your guests to bring the other items (including paper goods).  

Choose a theme. Theme parties can make planning much easier because the food, décor, and dress code are all tied together.  Ugly Christmas sweater parties have been the big trend around the holidays for the past few years, but other trends are starting to catch on. One is a “vintage” Christmas party, where guests bring dishes right out of their mother’s or grandmother’s cookbooks from the 1960’s or 1970’s (and don’t forget to dress accordingly!) Another trend is a crafting party (or “Santa’s Workshop party”, if you will), where you and your guests create and decorate wreaths, ornaments, and package toppers (if not the packages themselves) for yourself and everyone on your list.  

Serve both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. Not every guest will want to imbibe, so take that into consideration when planning your drink menu. Have a variety of food and beverage options so none of your guests feel uncomfortable or pressured to drink.

Be a responsible host.  Hosting an event is a lot of work. It falls on you to keep all food, drinks, and supplies stocked, guests mingling, and the night flowing smoothly.  It’s not always easy, but your most important job by far is keeping your guests safe. If it looks as though some of your guests have had a little too much, offer to drive them home, call one of their friends or family members to give them a ride, or ask another guest to take them home.

The holidays are definitely a time to celebrate, but if you’re planning to host a party this year, help your guests celebrate responsibly.

Are there any other tips you’d add to our list? We’d love to hear from you in the comments below!

How Safe is Your Backyard?

Photo: Pinterest

It’s summer, which means spending a lot more time outside. Whether you’re having some friends and family over for a cookout or pool party or just hanging out and enjoying the sunshine, your backyard is probably seeing a lot of activity.

Your home and backyard should be safe places where you can relax and have fun with family and friends.  But an accident can happen to anyone at any time. If you have any of the following, you may have a greater risk for liability if someone gets hurt on your property.  Be sure to notify your insurance agent if you have any of these items so your homeowners’ policy can be adjusted accordingly.

Trampolines. Trampolines are a lot of fun and actually a great way to stay in shape, but they can be dangerous, as well. If one of your kids or a friend feel daring and tries stunts like a flip, they can get seriously hurt if they land wrong.  Do plenty of research before buying one of these items so you’re aware of the potential safety risks.

Swing sets and play equipment. Swing sets have come a long way—most are made from molded plastic or recycled materials rather than hard metal as they were for decades, so they are already safer than they were years ago. But there are still plenty of risks with these units.

Pools. Who doesn’t like lounging poolside on a hot day? Pools are a great investment and make a nice addition to a backyard, but they can also be dangerous. According to the American Red Cross (ARC)’s website, 200 children drown in backyard swimming pools each year.  If you have a pool, make sure you and your guests follow some basic safety rules:

•         Install a fence.
•          Supervise all swimmers.
•          Keep pool chemicals out of children’s easy reach.
•          Set safety rules that must be followed (such as no running, diving, or swimming alone)
•          Know how to respond to an emergency (make sure everyone in the household can swim; get certified in CPR and first aid).

Dogs.  We all love our furry friends, but depending on the dog’s temperament, they may not love your guests.  Not all dogs are good with people other than their owners. If your dog is skittish or tends to be aggressive, it might be best to keep them in the house until your guests leave. He may bite someone if he feels threatened, which could mean a potential lawsuit for you. (If you have umbrella coverage on your homeowners’ policy, that would help in case of a lawsuit). If you don’t have an umbrella policy, don’t take a chance on your dog’s unpredictable nature, especially if young kids are on the premises. Put them in the house and check on them, but keep them away from your guests.

Summer tends to fly by, so make the most of it! Have fun and stay safe, even if you’re staying in your own backyard.

Don't Push Your Luck! Why You Need Umbrella Coverage

If you think about it, luck is a big part of our everyday lives. And it’s not all life-changing, lottery-winning kinds of luck—it’s little things.  Scoring a parking spot right near your destination when you’re running late? Luck. Finding a dollar in your pocket when you come up short when paying for your morning coffee? Luck.  Sure, we might push that luck a now and then and buy a lottery ticket or play the slot machines, but sometimes, those lucky little things happen just when we need them most. Unfortunately, many of us push our luck when it comes to our insurance.  We might just purchase the minimum coverage for our home, auto, or toys such as a boat or motorcycle and hope for the best, but in some instances, more protection is better. This is the purpose of an umbrella policy.

Umbrella coverage is meant to protect you from major claims and lawsuits. It takes effect when the liability limits on your homeowners or auto insurance policies have been reached.

For example:

• Your dog bites your neighbor, a housepainter, requiring a trip to the ER and several stitches. Your neighbor sues you for costs related to the injury and lost wages. His medical bills alone are more than $20,000; lost wages, $10,000. He sues for $100,000; your homeowners’ policy only covers up to $50,000, leaving you responsible for the remaining $50,000.

• While driving to work you skid on a slick road and T-bone another car.  The other driver and his passenger are injured, and there is extensive damage to the car (well over $50,000). You are sued for $300,000 (which includes car repairs, $50,000 in medical bills from the other driver and passenger, and $100,000 in lost wages for each), but your auto policy only has liability coverage up to $200,000, which means you must pay the other $100,000 out of your own pocket.

Lawsuits are extremely common in our society, and judges have granted huge rewards for damages—rewards that can have devastating financial consequences for the responsible party.

Although umbrella coverage is not required for a home or auto policy, it’s worth purchasing if you do any of the following: 

•          Own a pool, trampoline, or dog
•          Are a landlord
•          Have significant savings or financial assets
•          Coach youth sports
•          Participate in extreme sports that could injure someone else

Any of the above could increase your chances of being sued.  Don’t push your luck—consider an umbrella policy so you have the additional protection you need.

Have you ever purchased an umbrella policy? What was your experience? We’d love to hear from you in the comments below!

Prevent Scary Accidents This Halloween

Halloween is the time of year for some spooky fun. But as always, along with fun comes the need for safety to prevent scary accidents on your property.

If you plan to welcome trick or treaters, clear away any yard debris or clutter from your porch or walkway. Little ones love Halloween, but when their enthusiasm and a long or cumbersome costume meets debris, they could trip, fall, and get seriously injured.  Likewise, you wouldn’t want an adult taking their kids trick or treating to fall on your front steps or sidewalk, either. For this same reason, be sure your porch or walkway is well lit. And if your kids are trick or treating, be sure to check their candy when they get home. Any pieces that look suspicious (such as, the wrapper has been opened or it looks like it’s been tampered with in some way), should be thrown away immediately.

Carving pumpkins into scary or funny jack o’lanterns is a favorite holiday activity, but it can also be dangerous. If you’re not handling the knife correctly, or little hands are trying to carve their pumpkin by themselves, it could lead to a serious injury. Paint or decorate the pumpkins instead of carving them, especially if you’re working with kids. Jack o’lanterns are traditionally lit with candles, but open flames are another potential safety hazard. If the pumpkin is sitting on your front porch or in a high-traffic area, it could easily be knocked over.  Use a battery-powered LED candle rather than a live flame instead. Better yet, stick with an artificial jack o’lantern.  Sure, the genuine article always looks better, but the artificial version is much safer!

And of course, we can’t forget the Halloween party, whether it’s a traditional costumed gathering or not. If you’ll be serving alcohol, make sure your guests are able to drive or have named a designated driver.  Encourage them to stay over if they’re not able to drive.  

If you’re expecting a lot of visitors at your house this Halloween, whether for a party or the neighborhood trick or treat night, make sure you’re protected. Consider umbrella coverage for your homeowners’ policy, which can give you additional coverage should a visitor get injured on your property.  ETA Benefits Group works with several carriers that offer this valuable protection.  Please contact us to learn more.

How do you celebrate Halloween? We’d love to hear from you in the comments below!