Insurance Lessons from Your Favorite Holiday Movies

Holiday movies make chaos look festive. Lights overload, sidewalks turn icy, gifts disappear, and kids lose their glasses, and somehow everything works out by the end. In real life, holiday mishaps are usually less charming and far more expensive. That is why a little planning before the holidays can go a long way.

Let’s take a look at what some classic holiday movies can teach us about insurance.

When Holiday Decorating Goes Wrong

If you’ve ever seen National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, you know that holiday decorating is not for the faint of heart. Between tangled lights, overloaded outlets, and ladders that feel far less stable than they should, decorating can turn risky very quickly.

Holiday decorating mishaps can include:

• Electrical issues from too many lights
• Falls while hanging decorations
• Damage caused by winter weather

Homeowners insurance helps protect your home and belongings from covered losses when holiday decorating does not go according to plan. Just be mindful of Todd and Margo this time.

A Christmas Story and Everyday Holiday Mishaps

In A Christmas Story, Ralphie’s holiday season is filled with small disasters, including broken glasses, getting your tongue stuck on a pole, icy sidewalks, and accidents that feel minor until they are not. While you may not be dressed as a pink bunny this holiday season, these common winter incidents can occur:

• Slips and falls on snow or ice
• Accidental damage to property
• Injuries to guests visiting your home

Homeowners insurance can provide liability protection and coverage for accidents that occur in and around your home during the holidays.

Protecting Your Home While You're Away

When it comes to protecting your home, there is no one better equipped than Kevin McCallister from Home Alone. However, using paint cans, ziplines, and hosting a fake party is something most homeowners do not have the time or insurance deductible for. While it makes for an entertaining movie, real-life home protection usually looks a lot less dramatic and a lot more practical.

Homeowners insurance helps protect your home and belongings against covered losses while you are away. So instead of relying on booby traps and last-minute plans, you can travel knowing your home has protection even when you are not there.

When the Grinch Steals Christmas

In How the Grinch Stole Christmas, holiday gifts disappear overnight, leaving Whoville with empty trees and a lot of confusion. While most of us are not dealing with a green visitor carrying off presents in a sack, theft during the holidays is a real concern, especially when homes are full of gifts, electronics, and decorations.

Holiday theft risks can include:

• Stolen gifts or packages
• Theft of electronics or valuables
• Break-ins while you are traveling or hosting events

Personal property coverage under a homeowners insurance policy helps protect your belongings if they are stolen or damaged. Reviewing your coverage before the holidays can help ensure those carefully chosen gifts are protected, even if the Grinch strikes.

Peace of Mind for the Holiday Season

Holiday movies wrap up with everything magically working out. In real life, having the right insurance in place makes that ending much more likely. Reviewing your travel and homeowners insurance coverage with Ansay and Associates helps you focus on what really matters.

Because the only holiday drama you should be dealing with is choosing which holiday movie to watch next.

Review your coverage with an advisor today!