Since candles and lighting equipment are very common for Halloween decorations, be sure to follow the below safety tips if you decide to use them this year:
Decorations:

• Use a battery-operated candle or glow stick in jack-o-lanterns.
• Dried flowers, cornstalks, and crepe paper often will catch fire very easily. Keep all of your decorations away from open flames and other sources of heat (light bulbs and heaters).
• Keep the exits of your home clear of decorations for an easy escape in case of emergency. It is a good idea to check your smoke alarms if you will be using electrical equipment.
• When buying decoration lights, make sure they have been lab-tested and have no frays or damages in the cords.
• Electrical outlets can be overloaded, especially when powering a lot of decorations. Make sure you unplug any decorations before going to bed or leaving the home.
• Never use indoor lights outside or outdoor lights inside.

Costumes:

• Avoid costumes with long trailing fabric.
• If possible, purchase costumes or fabrics that are not flammable.
• Use makeup instead of a mask. If using a mask, make sure that the eye holes are large enough for the child to easily see out of them.
• Teach your kids to “Stop! Drop! & Roll!”
• Avoid over-sized costumes and shoes.

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I saw my first Christmas display over the weekend.
That means Halloween will soon be here!
Halloween is a great time to review your insurance needs.
Holidays bring increased traffic, accidents and losses from theft and burglary.
Holiday guests increase your liability risks.
And what can I say about Winter Weather?
Contact our agency before the Holiday Rush begins.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, more than twice as many children are killed in pedestrian/car accidents on Halloween between the hours of 4 p.m. and 10 p.m.
As kids prepare to put on their costumes and roam from house to house next Thursday, parents and neighbors should keep in mind that their presence on the road and around homes requires additional caution.
Be Smart About Decorations Placement
Do not overload electrical outlets when plugging in your scary indoor décor, especially the older decorations.
When it comes to setting up outdoor decorations, follow manufacturer instructions to help avoid unexpected damage to your home or guests.
Set Up Spooky Candles With Care
We recommend whenever possible that folks use battery-operated candles. If you are going to use candles inside of Jack-o'-Lanterns, make sure they are away from curtains, trees or combustible decorations. Also keep in mind how easily these spooky candles can be knocked over by a pet, guest or child. It's always helpful to keep a multipurpose fire extinguisher accessible, filled and ready for operation.
Make Sure Your Doorway Is Safe for Trick-or-Treaters
Don't "trick" Halloween-goers when they knock on your door this year. Check for damage to your roof and clean gutters and downspouts to keep debris from accumulating.
"Make sure that driveways and walkways are cleaned up and well maintained. Also lighting at transitions between the driveway and the walkway can prevent a potentially dangerous situation where someone could slip.
Pay Close Attention When Driving
More than twice as many children are killed in pedestrian-car accidents on Halloween between the hours of 4 p.m. and 10 p.m., compared with the same hours on other days throughout the year, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Eliminate any distractions you might have and keep your eye on the road for any Halloween activity and trick-or-treaters.
Be a Safe Pedestrian
Like drivers, it's important to stay alert and pay attention when walking from house to house with trick-or-treaters. We want to stress to folks as they or their children are out walking on Halloween that they need to pay attention, have a flashlight and have reflective clothing. If people don't have their lights on, don't approach those homes because it has the potential to be a more dangerous situation.

Since a BOP is prepackaged, there is only one policy to review and it can be more cost effective than purchasing separate policies. Additional coverage can be added in the form of endorsements or riders.
Since a BOP insurance policy is specifically designed for small and medium-sized businesses, the type of business can influence eligibility. Normally, companies with 100 employees or fewer and revenues of up to about $5 million or less are candidates for a BOP. Some types of businesses, such as restaurants, may be ineligible for a BOP because of the specific risks inherent in the business and may need to consider buying the individual coverages separately.
Combining three insurance policies into one package
In a single, convenient package, a BOP provides the core insurance that most small businesses need, including:
Property insurance—Protection for your building or office space, as well as property owned by your business, such as equipment and inventory.
Liability insurance—Coverage for costs that arise if someone is injured at your business or by using your products or services.
Business interruption insurance—Also known as Business Income insurance, this coverage replaces lost revenues in the event that your business has to shut down due to fire, wind damage or other covered losses.
You can tailor a BOP to meet your needs
It’s important to understand that a BOP doesn’t cover all risks associated with running a small business and the coverage limits are usually lower. If you have employees, you may be required to carry workers compensation insurance, depending on your state. If you have a business-owned vehicle, you’ll need coverage beyond your personal car insurance. You might also consider insurance for relatively new risks such as computer system break-in or business identity theft.
There are unique risks associated with your small business; an insurance professional can help you find the coverages that are right for you. Here are some other types of insurance to explore and ask about:

• Professional liability insurance
• Employee practices liability insurance
• Business vehicle insurance
• Workers compensation
• Health and disability
• Flood and sewer back-up
• Cyber Risk insurance
• Terrorism insurance

Increasing your coverage with excess and umbrella insurance
You can increase the protection provided by your BOP and other business insurance policies by adding an excess liability or umbrella insurance policy. This type of supplemental policy boosts your coverage beyond the limits of your primary insurance policies. Depending on the policy, your umbrella coverage is designed to broaden and increase coverage, “filling in the gaps” left by other types of liability insurance by covering additional areas of risk and even reimbursing you for deductibles. Your insurance professional can advise you about combining an umbrella policy with a BOP or other business insurance.
It may sound like a dance craze from the 1950s, but a BOP—a Business Owners Policy—can protect your small business against today’s most common risks. Fire, burglary, liability and business interruption losses are all covered under a BOP. We invite you to “Bop” on over to our agency for a no-obligation review of your business insurance needs.