The holidays are a time full of fun and festivities. The added activities of the season sometimes lead to an increase in accidents, though. Thankfully, homeowners insurance policies don’t take the holiday season off. As long as their premiums are paid, their coverages remain in effect -- and those coverages provide protection for many potential accidents. If you have an Easthampton house and it’s properly insured, here are three holiday mishaps that your home insurance policy might cover.

Your Easthampton, Massachusetts Homeowners Insurance Policy Might Cover These 5 Holiday Mishaps

1. Cooking Starts a Kitchen Fire

No one plans on starting a kitchen fire when they’re cooking, but they happen regularly. In the midst of preparing a big holiday meal, it’s easy to forget a dish that’s on the stove -- and that dish can catch on fire. Sometimes, forgetfulness isn’t even the culprit. Trying a new recipe that calls for high heat or an open flame (e.g. creme brulee) can lead to accidents.

Many homeowners insurance policies provide coverage for fires that are caused by cooking.

2. Holiday Lights Cause a Fire

When used properly, holiday lights that are in good condition generally pose little risk of fire. Lights aren’t always used correctly, though, and they also aren’t always in perfect condition. It’s tempting to overload the circuit, and lights that have been sitting in an attic for a year could have been damaged by a mouse, or even by boxes being thrown around. Any potential issues only become more serious when lights are strung up outside, where snow, sleet and rain can increase the risk of an electrical fire.

Electrical fires, including those caused by holiday lights, are covered by most home insurance policies. If your holiday lights make your Easthampton home catch on fire, your insurer may want to confirm that the fire wasn’t caused by a manufacturing defect. If it was, the maker of your holiday lights might be responsible for the damage the fire caused. Assuming no defect is found, your insurance policy will probably cover the incident (although coverages vary, and some policies may have exclusions or limitations).

3. A Guest Falls While Attending a Party at Your Easthampton Home

The more people there are at a holiday party, the more fun it is -- and the greater the risk is of someone becoming injured. Crowded rooms, purses left on the floor and dark walkways can all lead to falls and potential injuries. If you’re hosting a party, you may be held responsible for any injuries that a guest sustains while on your property.

Home insurance policies usually have a liability portion that protects policyholders from claims over injuries that guests sustain, meaning you could be covered if someone at your party falls and needs medical attention.

Check Your Homeowners Insurance Coverages

While these mishaps are covered by most homeowners insurance policies, every home insurance policy has different coverages, terms, conditions, and exclusions. To make sure your policy is providing you with the protections you need, contact an independent insurance agent who serves Easthampton. They’ll be able to tell you whether your policy covers kitchen fires, electrical fires and guests’ falls. If it doesn’t, they’ll also be able to help you find a policy that will provide these coverages.