Have fun on Halloween, but be safe too

HARRISBURG Things that go bump in the night could get bumpier on Halloween, so the Pennsylvania Insurance Department is reminding homeowners to use common sense on trick-or-treat night.

With so many unpredictable elements at play, the chances of an accident or mishap are increased on Halloween. Kids in costumes, candles in pumpkins, neighborhood foot traffic and general Halloween mischief all add to the risks.

Bill Ross, managing partner at Ross Insurance Agency, 1496 Lititz Pike, says there are "three biggies" of trick-or-treating concern: housekeeping, lighting and vehicle location.

Be sure your house is well-lit and in good repair to reduce the chances of injury or having to file an insurance claim. You don't want any ghosts or ghouls to trip and fall.

"Make sure the front is lighted properly or you're just asking for trouble," warns Ross.

"Make sure things are picked up and you don't have things lying around that people are going to fall on," he says. "Some people get carried away with decorations and they can become a hazard."

"It's not too late to have Outdoor Lighting Perspectives install pathway lights that will light your front walk and pathways all year long," says Sandy Chillas of Outdoor Lighting Perspectives, Lancaster-West Chester. "If you don't want to install something permanent, simply use rope lights to line your walkways. They come in different colors and lengths."

Chillas says orange and purple rope lights are good color choices for Halloween. If you add a green rope light in March, you're ready for Mardi Gras.

While your homeowner's insurance won't cover a prankster papering your trees, if they damage your property, you would likely be covered.

"Always make sure you have good liability limits and a personal umbrella an extra liability of coverage on top of what we call 'slip-and-fall liability' under your homeowner's insurance," Ross suggests. The same goes for those living in apartments.

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Have fun on Halloween, but be safe too