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Smoke Alarms - Homeowner Insurance

Do you have ionization detector smoke alarms or photoelectric sensor smoke alarms in your home? If you don't know, have someone with you to assist as one of you climb up a ladder or stool and look on the back of the smoke alarm. It usually says there. The National Fire Protection Association recommends using both ionization and photoelectric smoke alarms for your home. Why both types you might ask. Typically there are two types of fires in homes, smoldering and fast-flaming. You need smoke alarm coverage for both and some smoke detectors offer both, but most homes have less expensive ionization only detectors.

A smoldering fire is best detected by smoke alarms with photoelectric sensors because this type of fire produces a lot of smoke but not many flames, while a fast-flaming fire has a lot of flames and not much smoke. The ionization detector smoke alarm is needed for the fast-flaming home fire.

Protect your home and get a homeowner insurance discount with installed smoke detectors that provide protection for both types of home fires.

Fireworks Safety and Homeowner Insurance

There are more fires reported on July 4th than any other day of the year and not surprisingly that's because of fireworks. Nearly 40% of fireworks injuries happen to children under the age of 15. The dangers of supposedly controlled explosions of hot sparks injure hands, fingers, head, eyes, ears, and face the most. More than 50% of the injuries caused by fireworks are burns.

The National Fire Protection Association reported a few years ago that over 50% of the fires reported on July 4th are caused by fireworks being set off on peoples property. They caused over 22,000 fires and over $42 million in property damage. Additionally, hospitals treat over 10,000 fireworks related injuries each year.

Because fireworks are illegal in some areas, your homeowner insurance may not cover damage if you or someone in your family set off the fireworks. Typically if someone not in your family damages your home or property with fireworks, your insurance will cover any damages even if the use of fireworks is illegal in your area.

Have fun but safely! Follow the directions on the packaging for fireworks.

1. Supervise children and kids under 18.
2. Light fireworks in a clear area that's empty of dried leaves, dried grass, or other flammable materials.
3. If a firework doesn't go off, don't try to relight it. Be safe by submerging it in water.
4. Have water, a fire extinguisher, and first aid supplies nearby.
5. Don't store a lot of fireworks together and set them off one at a time.
6. Buy fireworks only from a licensed store or vendor. Don't use homemade fireworks.

My Tree Fell on My Neighbor's Porch
Whose Insurance Pays?

In most non-negligent situations your neighbors homeowners insurance will pay for the damage. Interestingly, you most likely will not have your homeowners insurance premium increased.

Now if the tree that fell onto your neighbor's porch was dead, diseased, or your neighbor had complained to the city or county about it as a hazard, and it's determined to be a hazard, you will pay for the porch repairs with your homeowners insurance.

Most homeowners insurance policies cover liability, including the cost to defend you in a lawsuit. If your neighbor sues you for not taking proper care of your tree, your insurance company will pay to defend your case, and will pay for damages if you're held responsible.

Don't Get Fooled By The Unscrupulous Contractor

After a significant damage to your home, your insurance company will provide you with a list of contractors they recommend. You can use one of them or not. Being on a recommended list by insurance companies for damage repair is a coup for contractors, and the fly-by-night ones will not be on that list.

If your area was hit by wide spread damage, such as from a tornado, hail, windstorm, tropical storm, flood, or hurricane, you will probably encounter the door-to-door contractors vying for your repair work.

An insurance company will suggest the following for choosing a contractor:

1. Contact Better Business Bureau to see if complaints have been filed against contractors you're considering.
2. Don't pay upfront or pay in full.
3. Check their references.
4. Make sure the contractor is licensed, bonded and insured and can document that.
5. Be wary of contractors who solicit door to door.