---
title: How To Avoid a Scary Homeowners Claim This Halloween: 13 precautions to make your home safe
---

# How To Avoid a Scary Homeowners Claim This Halloween: 13 precautions to make your home safe

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## How To Avoid a Scary Homeowners Claim This Halloween: 13 precautions to make your home safe

- Posted on Wednesday, October 25, 2023

Trick-or-treaters aren’t the only spooky thing you may see on Halloween. You also need to watch out for hazards that could lead to a scary homeowners insurance claim.

Here are 13 precautions to make your home safe before little ghosts, witches, princesses and superheroes come calling.

1. **Create a safe path.** Clear your walk, steps, porch and lawn of any tripping hazards (electric cords, hoses, potted plants, etc.). Move things to a place where no one can accidentally stumble on them.
2. **Repair hazards.** Fix wobbly or broken porch railings that could cause an injury if a trick-or-treater or guest leans on them.
3. **Survey your property.** Take some exterior photos of your property before trick-or-treaters arrive. In the event of an accident or vandalism, they can come in handy.
4. **Secure pets.** Spooky noises and music, trick-or-treaters, and unusual lights and decorations can be nerve-wracking for pets. This can lead to aggressive or destructive behavior. Keep pets in a safe location away from the commotion.
5. **Turn on the lights.** Keep your sidewalks and pathways well-lit so everyone can see where they are stepping.
6. **Avoid homemade treats.** Many parents only let their kids eat prepackaged candy. Plus, labels that have allergy warnings help prevent life-threatening reactions. Stick with the fun-size candies you can buy in bulk.
7. **Prevent electrical shocks and fires.** Use safe, intact electrical cords and decorations, and don’t overload outlets or circuits. Never fasten electrical wires or cords in a way that could damage the cord’s insulation or create tripping hazards.
8. **Decorate safely.** Don’t hang heavy decorations overhead. These items could fall and strike a trick-or-treater or party guest, resulting in serious injuries. And avoid pop-up decorations that could startle visitors and cause an unfortunate accident.
9. **Host responsibly.** If you're hosting a Halloween party with alcohol, monitor consumption and ensure your guests have designated drivers. Never serve alcohol to anyone under 21.
10. **Avoid fire hazards.** Use LEDs instead of real candles in jack o’lanterns and paper luminarias. Real candles can create a dangerous fire hazard, especially with children around.
11. **Take precautions in wet or cold weather.** Use friction tape on steps. If your area is near or below freezing on Halloween, use salt or sand on slippery sidewalks and walkways as needed.
12. **Move vehicles.** Reduce risks to little pedestrians by clearing parked cars from the curb for better visibility. If you have a garage, park your car there. This will also prevent dents and scratches.
13. **Discourage vandalism.** Turn on motion-activated lights to illuminate the house and scare away late-evening vandals or mischief-makers.

Opening your home to trick-or-treaters and Halloween party guests can expose you to homeowners claims and lawsuits. Give your Rathbun Insurance account manager a call to make sure your policy is current and you're adequately protected. Once you’ve done your best to create a safe environment, you can enjoy the spookiest day of the year.

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