Hosting With Care

Whether you’re hosting a small gathering for family or a big holiday bash, add safety to your shopping list, include it when you stir, steam and sauté, and as you set the scene to sparkle.

Watch what’s brewing or stewing. If you’re cooking while you have company, it can be easy to get distracted. But, don’t leave cooking food unattended. Keep anything that could catch fire away from the heat and clean up any spills right away.

All the trimmings. When you’re decking the halls with boughs of faux holly, make sure they’re of the non-combustible kind. Use clips instead of nails to hang lights to avoid damaging the cords. Also, replace any strings of lights with worn or broken cords.

Wax and wane. Candles should be placed in holders that are sturdy and not made from a flammable material. When they’re lit, they should be on a solid, uncluttered surface, away from a table edge where they could be knocked down and not near flammables, such as Christmas trees or decorations. 

Fir the tree. If you’re buying a natural tree, ensure it’s fresh. One way to tell is that the needles are green and don’t fall off when you touch them. Be sure to always keep water in the stand. If you’re buying an artificial tree, the label should say it’s fire retardant.

A party favor. If you’re serving alcohol, offer non-alcoholic beverages as an option and provide food. Encourage guests to pick a designated driver who will refrain from drinking alcohol. Switch to coffee and tea toward the end of the evening.

Without ice, please. Make it easy on your guests and protect your liability by clearing your walkway of snow and ice.

You might also think about getting a Personal Umbrella Liability policy. If you’re found liable for an accident where the damages are higher than the liability limits of your policy, your assets would need to cover the rest. But in many situations, Personal Umbrella Liability would pick up where your policy left off.

Contact us for all of your insurance needs! 

Illinois and Wisconsin residents, at R Hobbs Insurance Agency, we can work with you to make sure you’ve got the coverage you need, while at the same time using all possible credits and discounts to make that coverage affordable. Just give us a call at (847) 680-0888 or send us a note at [email protected]. We want to help you meet your goals, and make sure what’s important to you is protected!

Photo by Brooke Lark on Unsplash

Content Source: Kemper