There’s No Place Like Home for The Holidays: Make Sure It’s Protected!

From college students who are packing up dorm rooms and driving their overloaded cars home to mom and dad, to adult children with families of their own making the trek back to their childhood houses for holidays with grandparents and extended family, there really is no place like home when Christmas rolls around. While family is what truly makes a house a home, we all admit that the houses we grew up in hold an element of nostalgia. Seeing your own stocking hung above the fireplace alongside your child’s and remembering your many Christmases of joy and excitement is special, and no one can overlook the sentiment of baking cookies with your mom at the kitchen counter without needing the step stool or continual reminders not to eat the dough. Homes are full of valuable memories…but are yours protected?

This time of year comes with many risks for houses, from fire and flood, to theft and vandalism. Why?

Well, because the holiday season means more cooking and baking, kitchen fires tend to increase at this time of year. Simple precautions like never leaving cooking food unattended, remembering to have a fire extinguisher on hand in the kitchen space at all times, and making sure you keep clean and uncluttered work spaces are great ways to make sure your festive food prep goes off without a hitch. Water damage is also a common issue near the holiday season as having more guests in the home can lead to leaks from showers, sinks, and toilets and can wreak havoc on your Christmas cheer as no one wants to spend the big day drying out carpets, cleaning up overflow, or evaluating wood damage.

In addition to issues within the home, prowlers take advantage of many homeowners at this time of year since they know gifts will be waiting under the tree, there’s often more cash in hand due to holiday shopping, and many people will be out and about more often. Mix that with  longer hours of darkness and you have a recipe for theft and vandalism and that can ruin Christmas in more ways than one. Not only does the damage to your home and the loss of gifts and valuables impact you and your family, but you also get robbed of the peace and joy that many of us hold dear during this time of year.

While we can’t 100% prevent these unfortunate events from taking place, having quality homeowners insurance offers peace of mind and security during the holidays and all year long. Knowing that whatever comes your way will be covered, and you won’t be left in financial crisis, makes you feel protected and lets you relax as you prepare to enjoy the cherished time with family and friends and relive old memories while making new ones. Carroll Marshall Insurance is proud to provide the Winter Haven community with insurance coverage of all types. We work with top providers in the industry to make sure you are getting the best possible coverage for the lowest premiums available. Give us a call or stop by our downtown office when you come home to Winter Haven for the holiday season.