Santa below a christmas tree

It all seems fun in the movies, but what happens in real life? What will your homeowner’s insurance pay, and what will it not?

A squirrel jumps out of your Christmas tree and damages your living room.

Pay? No. Most homeowners’ policies do not cover rodent damage. You say a squirrel is not a rodent? Well, it is. However, on the positive side, you are probably covered if a reindeer tramples your big-screen TV.

The Grinch steals your Christmas presents.

Pay? Yes. However, there are limits, especially on luxury items. Check with your insurance agent, but you might want to increase the policy limits if you are giving some elaborate jewelry or a high-end watch.

Falling off the roof while hanging Christmas lights.

Pay? Depends. You cannot generally collect for a slip and fall in your own home, whether you fall down the stairs or off the roof. However, this is not true if someone else is doing the work. Plus, a professional probably has some type of business injury insurance.

You are roasting chestnuts in the fireplace, and the house burns down.

Pay? Yes. Most homeowner policies cover fire. This will probably not surprise you, but fire accidents caused by fireplaces increase during the holidays.

Now, I am just giving a general summary of the law and homeowners insurance. There are exceptions to all of these.

If you want to give yourself or your kids the best Christmas present ever,  ADD UNINSURED MOTORIST COVERAGE  to your auto insurance .  It doesn’t cost much and protects you and them from drivers with too little or no auto insurance. I know I sound like Flo but listen to me. Depending on what research study you read, 1 in 5 or 1 in 3 of all drivers in Alabama fall into this low/no insurance category. If you are ever in an accident and need it, this insurance will be invaluable.

So, protect yourself this holiday. And I hope you enjoy the lights, gifts, trees, and even the chestnuts of Christmas.

Join us on NBC 15 LawCall here in Mobile every Sunday night at 10:30, right after the news. We are taking a fall break and will offer 5-minute segments for the rest of the year and a live call-in segment every Monday on NBC 15 at around lunchtime. You can also call the Eiland & Ritchie offices at (251) 666-1212. We specifically set aside a few hours Monday morning to answer your questions

Allen Ritchie

Alabama Personal Injury Lawyer

The post Bah Humbug: Holiday Accidents. What’s Covered? first appeared on Steele Ritchie.