Will you be having a holiday party in your home this year? Don’t forget some common sense safety concerns. Being aware of potential safety issues is a good way to avoid having to contact your insurance company to file a claim when the party is over.
A poll was done by MetLife Auto & Home Safety Pulse. The poll asked people questions about safety issues that can arise during a holiday party that takes place in one’s home. It turns out that there are plenty of hosts who ignore some important safety concerns. Failure to take some common sense precautionary steps could lead to problems.
Of course, you want your guests to be able to relax, and enjoy, the holiday party that you are hosting. However, you probably don’t want to have accidents happen at your party, especially not ones that require you to send a claim to your insurance company the next day. The poll revealed ways the ways in which many hosts are ignoring safety issues.
Will you be serving alcohol at your Christmas party? Only around 40% of the hosts who took the poll were concerned about the potential of guests getting involved in a drunk driving accident after leaving the party.
Most hosts are not worried about the possibility that they could be named in a lawsuit after a situation like that occurs. Most states allow an injured person to sue the person who served alcohol to the person who injured them. In other words, if your guest drives away from your party after having too much to drink, and gets into a traffic accident, you could end up getting sued.
Hosting a party requires a lot of planning. While your attention is on making sure the party is running smoothly, and that the food is being served, some of your guests may be focusing on how to steal your valuables. 60% of hosts who took the poll said that they have no intention of hiding their valuables before the party starts.
Who will be attending your party? 86% said of hosts said they are inviting their family to the party at their home. 74% said they would be inviting close friends. Other hosts will be inviting guests that they do not know very well. 44% of hosts will be inviting the neighbors over. 31% of hosts will invite their coworkers. 26% of hosts said that they will be having “casual acquaintances” come to their party.
You probably have a good idea about how likely it would be for your family members, or your close friends, to steal something from your home while attending your party. How certain are you that your neighbors, coworkers, or “casual acquaintances” won’t take something?
It is wiser to not take this kind of a chance. Lock up your expensive jewelry, and other valuables, before the guests arrive. This is an especially good tip for those of you who, like 59% of the hosts who responded to the poll, are not intending to restrict your partygoers to a designated space in your home or backyard.
Image by James Williams on Flickr