AUSTIN, Texas–(

BUSINESS WIRE

)–Porch pirates, home vandals and tree fires, oh my!

A
new study from insuranceQuotes examines holiday hazards

,
including fires caused by lit candles and cooking mishaps, vandalism of
outdoor holiday decorations, and theft of deliveries from doorsteps. The
main takeaway for homeowners? Take precautions now!

“During the holidays, certain crimes and home hazards increase.
Homeowners need to take precautions and make sure they have the right
insurance to protect their finances,” said Laura Adams, senior insurance
analyst at insuranceQuotes. “You could have packages delivered to your
office or a local locker—or use motion detectors, security systems and
light timers to fend off thieves.”

PORCH PIRATES

According to the
report, 25.9 million Americans (8%) have had a holiday package stolen
from their front porch or doorstep—up from 23.5 million porch thefts

reported
in 2015

.

DECORATION DEVIANTS

Results
revealed that 22.6 million Americans (7%) have had holiday decorations
stolen or vandalized in the past year. As a result, they took the
following precautions:

34% installed motion detectors

30% installed a security system

25% installed automatic timers for their holiday lights

HOUSE FIRES

Startling
statistics about holiday fires:

12.9 million Americans have had a house fire caused by a fryer or
cooking accident

9.7 million have had a house fire caused by lit candles

6.5 million have experienced a house fire caused by a Christmas tree

“Like many holiday hazards, house fires are preventable. Homeowners
should clean grease from ovens and stovetops, keep candles in safe
places, use newer lights to decorate, and keep Christmas trees at least
three feet from heat sources. In addition, be familiar with your home or
renters insurance policy,” said Adams.

The full report—which includes in-depth data and analysis, along with
additional hazard prevention tips—is available at

How to Keep Porch Pirates and House Fires From Making Your Holidays Hazardous

.

Methodology:

This study was conducted for insuranceQuotes
via telephone by SSRS. Interviews were conducted from November 1-5, 2017
among a sample of 1,009 respondents. The margin of error for total
respondents is +/- 3.71% at the 95% confidence level. All data are
weighted to represent the adult U.S. population.

About insuranceQuotes:

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