How Car and Home Insurance Protect You on Halloween
Halloween can be more than a little spooky because sometimes there’s vandalism. Did you know that your car and home insurance protect you on Halloween by covering risks that can increase on Oct. 31, like injuries, property damage, fire, theft, and vandalism.
Car and home insurance protect you from the unexpected on Halloween.
Western Financial Group, a 100% Canadian company, can help you navigate your business, car, and home insurance during this period of economic uncertainty.
Did you know? You can get a personalized quote and save on your car insurance with Western Financial Group. Combine your car and home insurance and you save up to 10%.
How your car insurance protects you on Halloween
Comprehensive car insurance coverage
How comprehensive coverage protects your car on Halloween:
- Vandalism and mischief: Halloween can involve pranks like egging, keying, or graffiti on cars. Comprehensive insurance covers repair costs for such vandalism.
- Car theft: There’s usually a seasonal increase in car thefts around Halloween. If your car is stolen at Halloween, comprehensive insurance generally pays you the actual cash value (ACV) of your vehicle minus the deductible. The actual cash value reflects the market value of your car at the time of theft, considering depreciation for age, mileage, wear and tear, and condition, rather than what you originally paid for it.
- Damage from Halloween decorations or falling objects: Vehicles can be damaged by falling Halloween decorations from neighbors’ properties or flying costume parts attached to cars. Comprehensive coverage usually includes such physical damage caused by external forces not related to collisions.
- Fire or weather-related damage: Fires from Halloween candles or decorations can cause damage. Comprehensive insurance also covers fire damage along with other perils like hail, lightning, or explosion that could affect your car during the season.
- Incidents not involving collisions: Comprehensive protects against damage not caused by hitting another vehicle, such as hitting an animal or break-ins, which are possible on Halloween with increased outdoor activity.
- Park your car in a well-lit area or garages to reduce the risk of vandalism.
- Secure Halloween decorations on cars safely to avoid damage.
- Review and consider increasing comprehensive coverage limits before Halloween for extra protection.
Comprehensive car insurance is generally optional in Canada. It is not legally required to drive a vehicle, but it often becomes mandatory if your car is leased or financed because lenders require it to protect their investment until the car is fully paid off.
Top tips to avoid Halloween car theft and damage
Liability car insurance coverage
Third-party liability car insurance protects you on Halloween by covering your financial and legal responsibilities if you cause injury or property damage to others.
- Bodily injury coverage: If you are at fault in a Halloween-related accident, such as hitting a trick-or-treater, pedestrian, or another driver, this insurance helps pay for their medical bills, rehabilitation costs, and any related legal fees.
- Property damage coverage: If your car causes damage to another person’s vehicle, a fence, Halloween decorations, or any other property during Halloween activities, third-party liability helps cover the repair or replacement costs.
- Legal settlements and costs: This coverage helps pay legal defense fees and any settlements or court judgments if you are sued due to an accident where you are deemed responsible. This protection helps avoid paying costly legal fees out of pocket.
Did you know? In Canada, third-party liability is required by law to drive a vehicle. On Halloween, pedestrian and accident risks can spike due to festivities, impaired drivers, and distracted driving.
How your home insurance protects you on Halloween
Liability coverage
If a trick-or-treater is injured on your property due to Halloween decorations or hazards, your homeowners liability insurance coverage can pay medical expenses and legal fees if you are sued. This helps protect you from costly injury claims.
Vandalism and property damage
Halloween can bring an increased risk of vandalism such as egging, graffiti, or broken decorations. Homeowners insurance typically covers repairs or replacements for property damage caused by accidental or malicious acts, subject to your deductible.
Theft coverage
If Halloween mischief leads to theft of decorations or other personal property, your policy may cover the loss, especially if you keep an inventory and documentation of your items.
Fire damage
Decorated homes with candles or lights can face the risk of fire. Home insurance covers fire damage to your home structure and personal belongings as well as additional living expenses if your home becomes temporarily unlivable due to fire.
Top tips to avoid Halloween damage to your home
- Keep walkways clear and well-lit to help prevent trips and falls.
- Secure decorations properly and avoid open flames by using LED lights instead of candles.
- Supervise pets and keep them away from doors and decorations to avoid potential bites or accidents.
- Review your home insurance policy coverage limits and exclusions before Halloween to make sure you have adequate protection.
- Plan a route: Map out a well-known, safe route for trick-or-treating and stick to familiar neighborhoods.
- Wear reflective clothing: Add glow sticks, reflective tape, or carry flashlights to make children visible to drivers in the dark.
- Use comfortable, safe costumes: Choose flame-retardant, light-colored costumes that fit well and avoid masks that block vision or breathing. Use face paint instead of masks when possible.
- Carry ID: Kids should carry an ID card or wear a nametag with emergency contact information in case they get separated.
- Walk safely: Stay on sidewalks, cross only at intersections or crosswalks, and look before crossing streets. Walk facing traffic if no sidewalks are available.
- Go in groups: Children should trick-or-treat with a trusted adult or in groups, never alone or entering strangers’ homes or cars.
- Set a curfew: Set a clear time for children to return home from trick or treating.
- Teach kids to call 911: Ensure older children know how to call for help if they are lost or in trouble.
What about all the little goblins and ghouls on the hunt for treats? Top tips to keep kids safe on Halloween
Don’t forget to inspect all the candy for tampering or unsafe packaging!
To sum it all up
Halloween is a deliciously spooky and sugary time! Have fun but understand how your home and car insurance protect you in case the unexpected happens on Oct. 31. Remember to keep your kids safe, too.
Happy Halloween from Western Financial Group
At Western, we’re proud to be part of the communities where we live and work and we want to help you enjoy the holiday safely. With a few simple precautions (and the right coverage), you can focus on the fun while we help protect what matters most.
Talk to your local Western advisor today to review your home and car insurance coverage and have a safe, spooky Halloween!
5 FAQs about Halloween
Where does the term "Halloween" come from?
Halloween originally comes from "All Hallows' Eve," the night before All Saints' Day, a Christian holiday. The term evolved through Scottish and Irish traditions.
Why do we celebrate Halloween?
Halloween has roots in the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, which marked the end of the harvest season and the start of winter. It was believed spirits roamed the earth that night. Halloween started being celebrated in Canada in the 1800s when Irish and Scottish immigrants brought the tradition with them. The first recorded event where children dressed up for Halloween took place in Vancouver, BC, in 1898, making it the earliest such event in North America.
Why do people go trick-or-treating?
Trick-or-treating began as a tradition where people would give treats to avoid pranks and mischief. It's a way for children to get candy while celebrating Halloween.
What are the origins of the jack-o’-lantern?
The jack-o’-lantern comes from an Irish folktale about Stingy Jack, a man who tricked the devil and was doomed to roam the earth with only a carved turnip lantern to light his way.
Why are black cats associated with Halloween?
Black cats became part of Halloween and superstition because of their association with witches and bad luck in Puritan traditions.
