Activities in the warmer months often lead to more mishaps

Summer means longer days and often more time spent outside, perhaps going for a boat ride, traveling, or entertaining.
It can also mean increased risk of costly accidents. Spring and summer account for nearly 12 million more emergency room visits per year than fall and winter, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PDF).
“You can’t take a vacation from risks during the summer,” says Lynne McChristian, a spokesperson for the Insurance Information Institute.
But you can mitigate risks by making sure you have the appropriate insurance coverage. Here are some popular summer activities and what you can do to safeguard yourself financially.
A Road Trip

Your Swimming Pool

The risk: Someone gets injured or drowns. Last summer more than 160 people drowned in pools. Seventy percent of them were children.
Reduce the risk: Increase the liability coverage on your homeowners policy to at least $300,000 to $500,000. If you have significant assets to protect ($500,000 or more), you might consider an additional umbrella liability policy to provide more coverage, says Jeanine Skowronski, senior editor of personal finance at Policygenius, a digital insurance broker that offers multiple insurance products.
The Insurance Information Institute recommends taking measures to prevent accidents, such as building a fence around the pool with self-latching gates (often required by law), and making sure children never swim unattended. Other safety best practices include using a pool cover when the pool is not in use, installing alarms that alert you if someone enters the water, and learning basic water rescue skills.
Outdoor Play

Summer Storms
Your Boat

Renting Out Your Vacation Home
Sports

Your Dog
Reduce the risk: Some insurers won’t cover certain breeds, such as pit bulls, Doberman pinschers, and rottweilers, so make sure your insurer knows about any pets you have in the house. If covered, your insurance will usually cover legal liability expenses up to a certain amount of your limit (usually $100,000 to $300,000), but you may have difficulty renewing your policy again.
Your Wedding

Home Renovations

The risk: A contractor gets injured while working on your property.
Reduce your risk: Make sure anyone working in your home is licensed and has both liability insurance and workers’ compensation covering themselves and their employees. Make sure that any subcontractors hired also have adequate insurance.
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