Tips For Reducing Your Liability Exposure As A Homeowner
Being a new homeowner is an exciting time, but one that comes with a lot of responsibility. The liability that can arise from injuries on your property is a very real concern, and one that many homeowners overlook. Even if you've already purchased a liability umbrella policy from your casualty insurance provider, you should still take steps to mitigate your risk. Here are a few things you should know in advance to help you keep your liability risk at a minimum.
Inspect Your Property For Landscape Issues
You should walk through your property regularly to look for signs of any potential hazards. Check the trees for any signs of damage because a broken or dead tree limb could be a concern if it falls. Even if it hangs over onto your neighbor's property line, if the tree is in your yard, you might have a liability concern if something should happen. For that reason, you should stay proactive about trimming the trees on the property.
You should also look for things like uneven ground, holes that could pose trip hazards, stagnant water and even wasp nests. Any of these things could cause injury. Mark potentially hazardous spaces with caution tape or other markers to show that you put effort into preventing injury.
Check The Stairways for Safety Threats
Inspect your stairwells, including the steps and the railings, on a regular basis. Cover all of your stairs with some kind of non-slip material so that you don't risk anybody falling down the stairs. You can even put a brightly colored strip across the outer edge of each step to make sure that the boundary of each one is clear.
While you're at it, check the railing bolts. Your railings should all be secure against the wall and without any movement in the brackets. In addition, there should be no deterioration that could cause splinters or other injuries.
Secure Your Pets When You Have Visitors
Injuries caused by pets are another common source of liability claims. If you're inviting guests over to your property or someone arrives for a visit, take steps to ensure that there's no risk of injury. Secure your dogs in the backyard or close off the doors to an aggressive cat's area so that you don't risk injury to anyone, including your pets. Remember that unfamiliar people can be stressful for your pets, so keeping them isolated from the visitors can sometimes be best to minimize unnecessary anxiety, too.
The more proactive you are about minimizing your liability exposures, the safer you and guests on your property will be. Talk with a casualty insurance carrier about your umbrella policy today. For other information, check out sites like http://www.dki-ins.com.
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