Winter is here, and it looks like the snow isn’t being shy this year. While it can create a winter wonderland and provide the perfect setting for a day of sledding or snowman building, it can also turn your sidewalks and driveways into hazardous areas.
When the snow hits, be sure to keep these tips in mind:
- Check your local ordinances about snow removal – it’s likely a requirement to remove all snow on walkways within 24 hours of snow accumulation. If you’ll be out of town, make sure you arrange for someone to come to your property and take care of the snow removal for you.
- Get yourself a present this year – purchasing an ergonomic snow shovel (or even a snow blower) can help avoid unnecessary strain on your body. Even fluffy snow can begin to feel heavy when you have a lot of area to clear.
- Salt freshly cleared areas – when shoveling or snow blowing is complete, be sure to salt the freshly-cleared areas. A light dusting and freezing temperatures can turn walkways into ice rinks. Driveways should get the salt treatment, as well. And if you prefer, you can use sand instead of salt.
- Keep the mail carrier and garbage collectors in mind, too – snowplows can make mailboxes and garbage/recycling bins difficult to access, which makes their jobs that much harder.
Keeping your property safe is incredibly important if you want to avoid injury to a guest, passerby, or worker. If someone slips and falls on your property, you could be facing an insurance claim. The person who fell may also sue you. This is why it’s important to understand how your insurance policy works to keep your finances protected.
While your homeowner’s liability and medical payments coverage will respond if someone falls on your property and you are found liable, will you have enough coverage? If your homeowner’s liability limit is at $100,000, you might not have enough coverage for all the medical expenses incurred by the person who fell. With the rising costs of hospital care, it’s best to review your policy with your insurance agent to make sure you have enough coverage.
If you don’t already have an umbrella liability policy, it;’s a good time to look into purchasing one. If your homeowner’s liability coverage limit is met, but you still owe money,l your umbrella liability policy will kick in and provide at least $1,000,000 of additional coverage.
If the chore of snow removal is too strenuous or you simply don’t want to do it, there are many professional snow removal services around. Give them a call and let them keep your property safe.
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