Protect Your Family From Costly Festive Fails With These Holiday Tips

The holidays are a fun yet hectic time of the year. It isn't just a busy time for us: Insurance companies are also hustling to review and process claims.

Why? Holiday gatherings bring their share of increased risks. The National Fire Protection Association reported a nearly 400% increase in house fires during Thanksgiving. Add in inclement weather, guests visiting, porch pirates and other risks, and you have a busy season for insurance companies.

As such, taking some time to peril-proof your home can make your holidays safer and memorable, without needing to call your insurance company. Here are some common hazards to look out for, along with what your home insurance covers.

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If an accident happens, what does my home insurance cover?

Before exploring the perils, let's begin with what a basic home insurance policy typically covers. If your home catches on fire due to an electrical or cooking issue, your home insurance usually covers the claim once you satisfy the deductible.

The same also applies to guests who incur injury on your premises. This is under the personal liability coverage and can protect you financially from any medical or legal bills incurred from the accident.

However, you'll want to investigate your policy to ensure you have enough liability coverage. The reason? Should a guest suffer an injury in your home and the court awards a judgment higher than what your policy pays out, you would be on the hook for the rest. If you're concerned about gaps in your policy, an umbrella insurance policy can help by providing additional liability coverage to cover those extra costs.

This time of year marks a smart time to reevaluate your insurance coverage and make sure you're not overpaying. Use this Bankrate tool to shop for and compare options quickly before we move on to perils:

Holiday light decoration safety tips

a mom holding her daughter while gazing at Christmas lights

Lights are an integral part of the holidays. Whether you're setting out a few strands or going all out with them, ensure that your holiday lights have the Underwriters Laboratory (UL) seal, as that indicates the product has undergone rigorous testing.

If you have lights from last year you plan to use, check the cords for signs of fraying or loose connections, since these could pose fire or electric shock risks. Also, check your circuits before installation to ensure they can handle the power demand; for modern 15-amp circuits, it's 1,440 watts worth of lights, depending on bulb type.

Furthermore, where you place your lights is of paramount importance. Tie up loose wires to prevent tripping hazards if you have children who want to play in the yard or home. And if you're using a ladder to decorate, implement the buddy system, as it ensures the ladder is in the correct position and stable before installation.

As for candles, place them on a heat-resistant surface that's at least a foot from any fire hazards. As welcoming as the glow of candlelight can be in a window, only do so if the window treatments or blinds are up and away at a safe distance. And monitor lit candles at all times, as kids and pets could easily knock them off.

Christmas trees: Location and care matter

For Christmas trees, you'll want to set them up in a low-traffic area. This prevents guests from tripping on decorations or gifts, which could result in an injury and prompt a call to your insurance company (or, well, ruin a present you worked hard to get).

Plan to have a real tree in your home this holiday season? This Old House recommends spraying it with a mold-resistant sealant to prevent mold spores from triggering allergic reactions.

If you have pets, namely cats, keep the first few lower branches of your tree undecorated unless you want them to treat your decorations like piñatas. Once knocked off the tree, these decorations create tripping hazards — or worse, if they're made out of glass. Dog owners should regularly inspect around your tree and pick up any items before they end up in your friend's tummy, necessitating a very high vet bill.

Create a holiday meal your insurance company can't feast on

Cooking is an integral part of the holiday season for many households. I spent frenzied evenings making Christmas cookies or warming up a pie as the family jostled around the table discussing matters of world importance.

It might sound overly cautious, but cooking can represent an elevated risk around the holidays. Fires from deep-fried turkeys gone wrong, as well as scalding and lacerations, top the list of common holiday injuries.

Here are a few tips to keep you and your guests safe:

Keep small children out of the cooking zones unless carefully supervised
Make sure flammable objects such as oven mitts, alcohol and dish towels are away from flammable areas
Clean the floor and inspect it regularly for any tripping hazards
Never leave your kitchen unattended while food cooks
Keep fire extinguishers on hand

Beware of slips, falls and pirates (not the cool kind)

When the weather becomes cold, it can transform your sidewalk and driveway into an unexpected skating rink for your guests. Before guests arrive, shovel any remaining snow and treat frozen areas with traction aids, like cat litter or sand.

Speaking of the front of your home, it becomes quite busy during the holiday season. Along with guests, chances are your Amazon Prime driver or Walmart+ delivery person becomes a frequent visitor.

As they do, they attract another crowd: Porch pirates. Porch pirates thrive at this time of year, looking for easy crimes of opportunity. If your packages are stolen, your home insurance policy will cover these items. However, depending on your deductible, it might not make sense to pay $500 to replace an item worth $100.

Therefore, you'll want to secure your packages. How? You can schedule your packages to arrive at an Amazon drop-off location, use a porch lock box, or, if you're buying from Amazon, opt for the Key In-Garage Delivery, which authorizes an Amazon driver to leave your packages in your garage.

The bottom line on preparing for holiday perils

The holidays are right around the corner. As such, preparing your home now should involve being mindful of common perils to protect you and your guests.

What's more, this time of the year is the perfect time to ensure you have the right financial protection. That way, if the unthinkable happens, you have peace of mind knowing your assets are protected.

Sean is a veteran personal finance writer, with over 10 years of experience. He's written finance guides on insurance, savings, travel and more for CNET, Bankrate and GOBankingRates.