Blizzards, ice and freezing temperatures are among winter hazards that can lead to woes for home and business owners. Independent agents from snow-prone areas across the country have shared some tips that agents can provide clients to avoid cold weather losses.
Property owners should keep homes and buildings properly insulated and maintain an adequate temperature to prevent pipes from freezing, agents say.
This also applies to seasonal or vacant properties, says Marilyn Matthews of Averill Insurance. She tells clients to drain water from pipes at their seasonal homes, which are common near her agency in North Yarmouth, Maine.
Matthews' advice is similar to that offered by Colorado agent Fred Lautenbach, who tells homeowners to flush out their lawn sprinkler system to avoid water damage inside their house where it’s connected.
That occurred last winter to one of his clients who failed to clear and turn off their sprinkler system.
The extent of damage can vary, says Lautenbach of Lautenbach Insurance Agency in Littleton, Colo. Water depth in a basement could be from six inches to one foot, and if it’s a slow leak, mold and fungus could also take hold.
“It just depends on the location of where it might happen and how quickly it’s discovered,” he adds.
Water damage can also occur from ice and snow on the roof of a house, agents say.
John Costello of First Niagara Risk Management in Rochester, N.Y., says it’s important for clients to clear their gutters so snow and ice water travels away from the house, rather than allowing it to remain on the roof where it could melt, move under shingles and refreeze. The bottom layer of ice can melt when it warms from heat escaping from the house—typically due to improper insulation—and then cause ceiling leaks and other damage.
“Once that happens, you don’t know where it’s coming from,” Costello says. “You really can’t rip off your roof. You really just have to get where the ice is at.”
Snow should also be cleared from roofs to avoid structural damage, says Matthews, who notes that snow of more than just three to six inches “can get pretty darn heavy.”
For businesses, companies that hire contractors to clear snow from their premises should have a contract with their plower, Matthews says. The contract should specify that liability issues related to snow and ice clearing lie with the contractor.
She also advises clients to make sure they hire qualified and trained professionals.
“For a business, it is so important for them to make sure that whoever is responsible for plowing and sanding does the job properly and on time,” she says. “The biggest threat to a business is having someone slip and fall on the ice.”
In addition, Costello tells clients to maintain a log of each time snow is cleared—whether it is done by themselves or a contractor—to provide documentation of property maintenance.
“Having those logs is very valuable,” he adds.
Meanwhile, Lautenbach says agents can share winter season tips with clients through a variety of ways, such as posting advice from insurance carriers on an agency website. He also recommends blogging, emailing and sending newsletters to clients.
“It’s the best way to do it, I believe, especially with the way clients are today,” he says.
How would you advise owners of homes and businesses to avoid winter weather claims? What are the best ways to share this information with clients? Submit tips to the IN&V editors (
inv@iiaba.net).
Meanwhile, Trusted Choice® offers additional consumer guidelines on winterizing buildings and homes.