Halloween, the holiday of candy, costumes, and…crime? Halloween home security should be an autumn priority.

Unfortunately Halloween sits well above the national daily average in terms of residential insurance claims for both property damage (17% higher) and theft (60% higher). Add to that an increase in violent crime of 50% on Halloween night, and it’s safe to say that this holiday truly earns its spooky reputation. 

While there may be risks associated with this fun-but-frightening holiday, there are also ways to stay safe. You just have to know what to prepare for. Keep the following Halloween home security risks in mind to ensure that the only thing you need to be scared of this October 31st is the latest creature feature on TV.

1. Vandalism

Halloween can bring broken windows, egged cars, graffiti, damaged decorations, or any number of vandalistic acts.

Troublemakers can create a large amount of residential damage in a short period of time. Halloween encourages disguise, which makes it harder to determine the identity of the vandal in question. Those without video surveillance are left particularly helpless when faced with an act of vandalism on their property. 

2. Personal Injury Claims

Trick-or-Treating is the most common ritual on Halloween. Your home may be visited by dozens of little kids and their parents in fun and creative costumes. While this is often an enjoyable activity, trick-or-treating has its share of risk. The more people who walk on your property, the more likely it is that one of them will sustain an injury. An errant electrical cord, a slippery walkway, even a pet could all cause physical damage, which would lead to expensive personal liability insurance claims. 

Check to see that your homeowner’s insurance policy covers physical injury for those on your property. This is also another good reason to install proper video surveillance to ensure that you have footage to submit as evidence in the event of a false claim.

3. Theft

Residential theft increases on Halloween. This includes auto theft and in-home theft. Whether this spike is due to holiday-inspired mischief or something else, the fact remains that those with comprehensive home security coverage will stand a better chance against potential thieves than those who do not have a security system installed.

Although Halloween can be frightening for many reasons as long as you are prepared it can become a lot less scary.

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