Californians Not Immune to Holiday Hazards

SACRAMENTO, Calif., Nov. 19, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- New insurance claims dataⁱ from Allstate Insurance Company show that home burglaries pose an increased threat to home security and safety in California and across the nation during the holiday season.

"It's easy to get caught up in holiday festivities," said Phil Telgenhoff, Allstate's Field Vice President in California. "So Allstate is reminding homeowners to use caution and remember to think through potential safety hazards in the home this holiday season."

Allstate's claims information indicates that holiday-related activities can cause losses for California homeowners:

• During the holidays, homeowner theft claims increase by nearly 10 percent among Californians, surpassing the U.S. average of seven percent increase during this time.
• California homeowners are likely to experience an 18 percent increase in sewer backup claims over the holiday season, consistent with the 19 percent national average.

Yet trends here and across the nation can vary significantly. In California, home fire claims decrease 16 percent during the holiday season, while the U.S. trend shows a 15 percent increase. According to national Allstate data, higher claims rate can be attributed to holiday-related factors such as these:

• Candles are the most likely to cause a holiday-related fire. In fact, Christmas week is among the top three weeks for candle-related claims. The median cost for candle-related claims is almost $50,000.
• On average, there are three times more turkey fryer claims during the holiday season than any other time of the year. The median cost for turkey fryer-related claims is almost $29,000.
• Around New Year's Eve (last week of December through first week in January), there are nearly twice as many claims caused by fireworks. The median cost for fireworks-related claims is nearly $14,000.
• Christmas trees are another holiday-related hazard that may result in costly damages. The median cost for Christmas tree-related claims is more than $100,000.
• Since 2008, the most costly holiday fire claim involved an artificial Christmas tree in the homeowners' living room. The total loss amount cost nearly $2.4 million.

Helpful Tips

Advance planning and precaution can protect your home and help make the holidays hazard-free. Allstate offers these tips to secure your home during the holidays:

Holiday Cooking

• Before the holidays, install new batteries in smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors. Make sure that family members can locate and operate fire extinguishers. Test all fire prevention devices to make sure they function properly.
• Be careful in the kitchen. The incorrect disposal of cooking grease, overuse of garbage disposals and improper or excessive disposal of waste can result in clogged drains and can cause sewer problems during this time of year.

Holiday Decorating

• Never leave burning candles unattended, and always place them out of reach of children. Make it a part of your routine to check that all candles are extinguished before you go to bed each night.
• Make a smart tree purchase. If buying a natural tree, make sure it's fresh so it will be less of a fire hazard. Artificial trees should be labeled as fire resistant. Keep your tree away from heat sources, and trim trees with flame‐resistant materials. Never use lit candles to decorate trees.
• Check your holiday lights, throw away any that are broken, and don't overload the outlets. Only lights and extension cords specified for outdoor use should be used outside.

Holiday Security

• When shopping, don't leave purchases in the passenger compartment of your unattended vehicle. Store them out of sight, in the trunk.
• When in plain view, piled gifts around a Christmas tree serve as an invitation to burglars. Close the shades or drapes if you're going to be away.
• Don't advertise shopping trips or gift purchases on social media. 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's trunk, times you're away from home and even the holiday gifts hiding in your closet.

For more home protection tips and to learn about Allstate's homeowners offerings, visit goodlife.allstate.com. 

Survey Methodology

The survey of 9,880 American adults age 18+ was conducted October 25 – November 5, 2013 via an online survey using a sample panel. 200 interviews were conducted in each state with the exception of AK: n = 104, WY: n = 140, ND: n = 174, SD: n = 181, VT: n = 176, and DC: n = 105. Analyses for each state were weighted to match its demographic profile. In addition, analyses of the overall findings were weighted by the national population parameters. The survey was conducted by FTI Consulting, Inc. (FTI) for Allstate.

About Allstate

The Allstate Corporation (NYSE: ALL) is the nation's largest publicly held personal lines insurer, serving approximately 16 million households through its Allstate, Encompass, Esurance and Answer Financial brand names and Allstate Financial business segment. Allstate branded insurance products (auto, home, life and retirement) and services are offered through Allstate agencies, independent agencies, and Allstate exclusive financial representatives, as well as via www.allstate.com, www.allstate.com/financial and 1-800 Allstate^®, and are widely known through the slogan "You're In Good Hands With Allstate^®." As part of Allstate's commitment to strengthen local communities, The Allstate Foundation, Allstate employees, agency owners and the corporation provided $29 million in 2012 to thousands of nonprofit organizations and important causes across the United States.

ⁱ Allstate actuaries conducted an in-depth analysis of company claims data to determine the likelihood homeowners across the country will experience a homeowners claims around the holiday season (mid-November through mid-January) compared to the entire year. Internal claims were analyzed over a four-year period (from January 2009 through December 2012) and excluded catastrophic events to ensure the findings would not be impacted by external influences such as weather events. Seasonal perils such as wind or hail that naturally occur during the holiday season are not attributed as "holiday-related" whereas perils such as theft are attributed as "holiday-related." Allstate's homeowners' policies represent about 9 percent of all U.S. home policies, making this report a realistic snapshot of what's happening in America's homes.

SOURCE Allstate Insurance Company California