Party Insurance!

It’s summer and it’s time to have people come over to the house to play Jarts Lawn Darts! Do any of you remember the worlds most deadly lawn game? This game consisted of two small plastic hoops that you would put 20 feet away from each other. Then teams would take these heavily weighted over sized darts and throw them towards the small hoop. If you landed in the hoop with the Jart you got a point. Well, apparently more than a few people tossed these Jarts into the air only to hit people standing on the other side in the head. Uhm, metal thrown at head from above even with a dull tip was not a good combination. Jarts even in liberal carefree, seatbelt free 70's stopped getting sold. What kind of homeowner's insurance do you need to make sure you are safe from a Jart incident?
My Daughter had a sweet sixteen birthday party over the weekend. It took a full day to set everything up. As I was getting ready for the party I started thinking about all the home insurance issues that may come up along the way.
This was a pretty straight forward event. Just a bunch of teenage kids showing up at the house to sing and dance for three long hours! We set up a dance floor, we had a photo booth, she wanted to play laser tag so I had a company set that up, we got a bunch of sugary snacks and we set up some games for the kids to play. Jarts was not one of them. But corn hole is a nice substitute.
It’s amazing how much time it takes to clean up and get everything out. Hanging those decorations, cleaning all the crap that gets stacked on the corner of the counter is exhausting.
What are some things to consider when you are having people over. The first thing is tripping hazards. Tripping hazards are one of the big things that lead to liability claims. I knew the kids would be inside and out so we went around making sure the hoses were nicely rolled up and put away. When the laser tag people came we made sure their wires were tucked away. The company I used had a nice channel that they could lay all the wires in so that they wouldn’t grab anyone’s foot. I also trimmed some low hanging branches so that no one would get poked in the eye.
Another thing to consider is who's on the guest list. You know your friends and you know who gets crazy. So, maybe you leave a few people off the list in order to make sure everyone has fun.  You also don’t need to invite everyone. Keep the size of the party smaller so that people have room to safely move around.
Limit your party to one level. The more stairs people climb the better chance that someone could fall. So, set your party up in one area where there aren’t a ton of stairs to climb. The less they climb carrying drinks or food the better off you are.
Make sure you have good liability and medical limits on your insurance. Things do happen even when you are being careful. Just make sure if something were to happen you have the coverage in place.
At my daughters party I was the only one drinking, but know your laws in your state. Some states hold the homeowner responsible if their guests drink too much. Keep an eye on your friends and make sure if people are drinking they have a way to get home safely.
If you are renting an area away from your home consider getting “Special Event Insurance”. That is a policy that will protect you away from your home for any liability claims that could happen at your party. They are inexpensive and will cover a specific day and location. You can buy a policy if you are serving alcohol or if you aren’t.
Basic common sense will go a long way in reducing your risk. If something seems dangerous then don't do it. And, if you don’t have any homeowners insurance you better get some before you open your doors. That applies to renters too.  A huge and valuable part of renters insurance is that liability coverage that will protect you if someone gets injured while visiting you.  Call me if you need insurance or want to compare what coverage you do have with my companies. 951-395-0754 Party Safely People!