NORTHBROOK, Ill., Nov. 17, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- By the time
the turkeys, pumpkin pies and cranberries are devoured and the
calendar flips from November to December, 75 percent of Americans
will have already started checking items off their shopping lists,
according to a new poll released today by Allstate. What many are
not checking off, though, are simple steps to protect their homes –
Allstate claims data shows many types of fire, theft and weather
property claims increase during the holiday season.
The third annual Allstate Holiday Home Hazards poll revealed
risky behaviors, such as leaving packages in the open, leaving
doors unlocked, or falling asleep with the stove on, a candle lit
or a fire still roaring. Despite 71 percent of adults acknowledging
the increased risk of in-home incidents, just 37 percent take extra
care to protect themselves. The poll also found many do not heed
safety warnings while decorating the home – the dangers of which
can be explored in a fun and safe way with Allstate's interactive
online Holiday Decorator experience.
"Shopping season is in full swing, and it's easy to let holiday
cheer cloud our better judgment when buying and handling our
purchases," said Terri Dalenta,
senior vice president of property products at Allstate. "Between
gifts, decorations, big family meals, traveling and other
activities, Americans can spend quite a bit of money during the
holidays. Allstate's goal is to help customers and consumers
protect what matters most and stay safe, happy and healthy while
enjoying a hazard-free holiday season."
Presents of Mind
Despite 84 percent of adults planning
to spend money on gifts this holiday season – including a quarter
(27 percent) who say they expect to spend more than last year –
many do not take the necessary precautions to keep their holiday
purchases out of harm's way:
- Two-thirds (67 percent) of adults admitted to having valuables
delivered to their home while they're not there.
- Six-in-10 (60 percent) have stored or hidden valuables in their
car.
- Eight percent have experienced theft of packages, 6 percent
have experienced car break-ins and 4 percent have had their home
broken into during the holidays.
- One-third (33 percent) of adults will be shipping a gift this
year, but only about half (52 percent) of those gift-givers will
notify the recipient that a gift is en route.
Curbing some of consumers' risky gifting behaviors may help put
a damper on some of the most common holiday claims:
Insurance Policy
Type
|
Most Costly
Claim i
|
Median Cost of
Claim i
|
Increase During
Holidays ii
|
Burglary
|
Homeowners
|
$132,000
|
$3,258
|
11%
|
Condo
|
$18,494
|
$2,011
|
Renters
|
$102,000
|
$2,323
|
Theft of
Silverware/Flatware
|
Homeowners
|
$11,798
|
$2,500
|
23%
|
Condo
|
$7,171
|
$4,087
|
Renters
|
$7,805
|
$2,364
|
Property Stolen
from Vehicle
|
Homeowners
|
$80,000
|
$2,188
|
17%
|
Condo
|
$22,782
|
$886
|
Renters
|
$18,706
|
$1,745
|
Allstate suggests that you not let preventable mistakes in
securing your presents cloud your holidays with a few simple
tips:
- When in plain view, gifts and valuables serve as an invitation
to thieves. Hide purchases in your car trunk when shopping and
don't display them in the window of your home. Put your valuables
away before hosting people at your home.
- When sending a package, ensure someone is aware of the gift's
anticipated arrival and will be home at the time of delivery.
Chestnuts, Open Fires and Dangerous Decor
Nearly half
of Americans (46 percent) will spend money on decorations this
holiday season, with 21 percent of those individuals expecting to
spend more money than last year. Many people, however, admit safety
is not always top of mind when it comes to decking their halls:
- More than half (53 percent) of adults admit they have plugged
too many lights into one outlet.
- Four-in-10 (40 percent) say they have slipped or fallen in a
holiday-related activity, such as decorating.
- Twenty-nine percent have left a real Christmas tree without
water for more than three days, increasing the risk of fire.
- More than a quarter of people (28 percent) have left the house
and/or fallen asleep with candles burning. And about a quarter (24
percent) said they have done the same with a fire burning in the
fireplace.
- Of the people who own a fireplace, just over a quarter (28
percent of wood-fireplace owners and 26 percent of gas-fireplace
owners) have cleaned or inspected their fireplaces in the past
year.
There's a distinct trend with decoration-related holiday home
hazards: fire. Some of the most prevalent hazards, according to
Allstate's claims data:
Insurance Policy
Type
|
Most Costly
Claim i
|
Median Cost of
Claim i
|
Increase During
Holidays ii
|
Fire Originated
From Fireplace
|
Homeowners
|
$1,596,013
|
$10,324
|
196%
|
Condo
|
$154,761
|
$13,222
|
Renters
|
$34,798
|
$13,847
|
Burning Candles
Caused Fire
|
Homeowners
|
$349,536
|
$14,038
|
63%
|
Condo
|
$70,665
|
$4,241
|
Renters
|
$38,511
|
$2,447
|
Electrical
Fire
|
Homeowners
|
$1,059,926
|
$24,462
|
21%
|
Condo
|
$138,225
|
$6,304
|
Renters
|
$98,127
|
$15,010
|
Smoke From
Fireplace
|
Homeowners
|
$93,772
|
$11,262
|
191%
|
Condo
|
$19,197
|
$3,939
|
Renters
|
$32,782
|
$4,564
|
Using Allstate's Holiday Decorator to virtually hang your
lights, garland and mistletoe is an interactive way to learn about
keeping your home safe this season. Additionally, Allstate
recommends a few easy ways to keep your holidays on track:
- Have your chimney inspected and cleaned annually before the
holidays begin to ensure it's safe for use.
- Never leave burning candles or fireplaces unattended, and keep
trees or other flammable items away from fire.
- Check holiday lights, throwing away any that are broken, and
don't overload the outlets. Only lights and extension cords
specified for outdoor use should be used outside.
Table-stakes for "Tablescapes"
Cooking and
entertaining are staples of the holiday season, and Americans are
willing to splurge to create the perfect holiday spread – the poll
revealed the most important consideration while shopping for that
crowd-pleasing dinner is the quality of the ingredients. But as
hungry families around the country wait for holiday hams to roast,
87 percent of cooks say they're multitasking – which can prove to
be a recipe for disaster:
- More than half (58 percent) listen to music while cooking.
- Forty-three percent cook multiple dishes at the same time.
- About the same number (42 percent) watch TV or a movie while
cooking.
- Almost a third (32 percent) of people have left the house or
fallen asleep while the stove was on.
- Nine percent said a cooking mishap has previously resulted in
smoke or fire.
Most people are aware of the risks associated with cooking and
hosting a get-together. Even so, there is still work to be done on
the prevention front, as evidenced by the claims data:
Insurance Policy
Type
|
Most Costly
Claim i
|
Median Cost of
Claim i
|
Increase During
Holidays ii
|
Kitchen Fire
(Non-Grease)
|
Homeowners
|
$953,714
|
$12,145
|
10%
|
Condo
|
$117,871
|
$6,561
|
Renters
|
$73,010
|
$4,609
|
Wood or Coal Stove
Fire
|
Homeowners
|
$760,432
|
$14,545
|
160%
|
Condo
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
Renters
|
$26,349
|
$13,584
|
Smoke Damage From
Kitchen
|
Homeowners
|
$87,761
|
$8,482
|
16%
|
Condo
|
$47,615
|
$6,562
|
Renters
|
$26,747
|
$3,834
|
Fire Caused By
Electrical Appliance
|
Homeowners
|
$483,507
|
$19,208
|
10%
|
Condo
|
$147,672
|
$4,455
|
Renters
|
$53,090
|
$7,198
|
Hosting the holidays can be stressful, but hosting hazards could
be a game-ender. Allstate provides ways to be proactive this
season:
- Before the holidays, install new batteries in smoke alarms and
carbon monoxide detectors. Make sure that family members can locate
and operate fire extinguishers.
- Be careful in the kitchen. Keep a close watch on cooking food
and never leave the stove unattended for too long.
- Don't do too much while cooking. Try to focus on one thing at a
time, and enlist help if you need to take on multiple tasks.
Travel Trip-Ups
One of the priciest purchases for many
this season will be holiday travel. Sixty percent of Americans plan
to spend at least one night away from home this year, with
four-in-10 (41 percent) travelers planning to spend more on travel
than last year. The poll revealed some risky behaviors that could
contribute to home losses while away:
- Half of Americans have left a door unlocked for a friend or
family member. About the same amount (52 percent) have hidden a key
for a friend or family member.
- More than a third (35 percent) of adults say they have posted
about travel plans on social media, including 58 percent of people
between the ages of 18 and 34.
- Less than a quarter (23 percent) frequently set a timer for
lights in their houses while traveling.
- Only 17 percent frequently shut off the water in their homes to
prevent leaks or floods, and just 16 percent frequently leave a
faucet dripping to prevent freezing pipes while traveling.
The holidays are busy enough as is, but when travel is thrown
in, things can get even more hectic. Allstate claims data reveals
upticks from colder temperatures that could wreak more havoc:
Insurance Policy
Type
|
Most Costly
Claim i
|
Median Cost of
Claim i
|
Increase During
Holidays ii
|
Burst Pipes From
Freezing
|
Homeowners
|
$1,004,968
|
$5,833
|
722%
|
Condo
|
$382,510
|
$4,445
|
Renters
|
$66,943
|
$2,596
|
Damage From Ice
Dam Build-up
|
Homeowners
|
$209,870
|
$1,832
|
23%
|
Condo
|
$13,071
|
$1,895
|
Renters
|
$34,582
|
$920
|
Missing Property
From Garage
|
Homeowners
|
$5,919
|
$1,848
|
51%
|
Condo
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
Renters
|
$2,684
|
$1,711
|
Property Damage
From Weight of Snow/Ice On Roof
|
Homeowners
|
$318,778
|
$1,886
|
64%
|
Condo
|
$6,743
|
$2,206
|
Renters
|
$15,609
|
$653
|
Allstate recommends taking extra precautions before you leave if
you're enjoying the holidays away from home to help guard against
these hazards:
- Whether it's "check-ins" using geo-location services, travel
plan updates, or even photos uploaded while at a holiday party,
people may be unknowingly giving today's "digital thieves" greater
insight into the contents of your car or home, and the times when
you're away from them.
- If kitchen or bathroom pipes are located near exterior walls,
leave the cabinet doors open to help circulate warmer air around
the pipes.
- In order to prevent water from freezing and increasing pressure
on pipes, leave taps slowly dripping if extremely cold weather is
anticipated during travel.
- During heavy snowfall, hire a professional to keep your home's
roof and gutters clear.
- Make sure your attic is properly ventilated – the colder the
attic, the less melting and refreezing on your roof.
"While some hazards are hard to predict, we often see jumps in
certain claims during the holiday season," Allstate agency owner
Frank Torres said. "Part of my job
as a trusted advisor to Allstate customers is to help them protect
against avoidable hazards, and during the holidays just a few
simple steps can make a world of difference in keeping your home
safe from harm."
See how holiday hazards can hit close to home and get more tips
by visiting Allstate's Holiday Decorator, at
www.allstate.com/holidaydecorator.
Survey Methodology
The survey of 1,001 American adults age 18+ was conducted
Oct. 12 to Oct. 15 via an online
survey using a sample reflective of the American population. The
survey was conducted by FTI Consulting, Inc. (FTI) for
Allstate.
The Allstate Corporation (NYSE: ALL) is the nation's largest
publicly held personal lines insurer, protecting approximately 16
million households from life's uncertainties through auto, home,
life and other insurance offered through its Allstate, Esurance,
Encompass and Answer Financial brand names. Allstate is widely
known through the slogan "You're In Good Hands With
Allstate®." The Allstate brand's network of small
businesses offers auto, home, life and retirement products and
services to customers in the United
States and Canada. In the
20 years since Allstate became a fully independent public company,
The Allstate Foundation, Allstate, its employees and agency owners
have donated more than $405 million
to support local communities.
i Costs are the amount Allstate paid on the
reported claims. Based on Allstate claims data during the holiday
season versus non-holiday season over a three-year period,
Nov. 15 to Jan. 15,
2012-2015.
ii Percentage increase in claims during the
holiday season versus non-holiday season over a three-year period,
Nov. 15 through Jan. 15,
2012-2015.
Video -
http://origin-qps.onstreammedia.com/origin/multivu_archive/PRNA/ENR/288012-Allstate-Holiday-Video.mp4
Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20151116/288008-INFO
Audio -
http://origin-qps.onstreammedia.com/origin/multivu_archive/ENR/AllstateHolidayANRV2.mp3
Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20151116/288009
Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20151116/288010
Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130404/MM88193-b
To view the original version on PR Newswire,
visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/holiday-nesting-worth-investing-poll-reveals-americans-dont-prioritize-protecting-their-property-during-hectic-season-300179826.html
SOURCE Allstate Insurance Company