As the year comes to a close, there will be no shortage of holiday parties this season. No matter how small the planned event is, safety should come first. It’s understandable that due to the excitement around the holidays, safety may not be the first thing in people’s minds but planning for potential mishaps will allow you to cover your bases and ensure that things can be taken care of in the case of an emergency. Let’s be honest, people are ready to let loose, so it’s better to prepare than be sorry after the fact.
The main things that should be taken care of should be:
- Event Liability Insurance: The need for insurance can hardly be overstated.
- Alcohol Consumption: Due to the nature of liquor this might be the most important part of planning for a safe night.
- Safety: There is a big potential for injury to your guests, especially when drinking in an unfamiliar place.
Event Liability Insurance
Insurance for your event is a smart way to protect both yourself and your guest from risk, and something that can be very easily set up. Most homeowners’ insurance will cover some form of events at your party, but it will likely not be comprehensive and leave you unprotected against several factors. Event liability insurance can protect you against damage done against your home and even cover the costs of injuries that occurred in the event. Talk with a professional about any precautions you feel inadequate to perform yourself and always place the safety of others when planning out any holiday event in your home.
Check With Vendors:
Speak with the vendors contracted for the event and see what type of situation you are dealing with in terms of insurance. You do not want to be held liable for something that you had no control over such as damages caused by such third-party vendors (catering, bartenders, etc.).
Review Insurance:
Go over what exactly is covered and what is not so that you can get a decent idea of what you should be extra careful with. This also applies to warranties that may cover some expenses in the case that something does occur.
Alcohol
Although alcohol can add a good atmosphere to a party, there is no question that there is a concern about overconsumption. The worst-case scenario when thinking about the potential dangers that drinking can bring to a party is having an intoxicated individual hurt himself or others. Several methods can be used to mitigate this risk.
Alcohol-Free Event:
Eliminating alcoholic drinks from a party is the safest way to limit the dangers that can come with drinking at a party. Understandably this is not the most popular of choices.
Drink Vouchers:
Giving people a limited number of drinks is a good way to ensure that people have fun, but don’t end having too much to drink. Bartenders giving drinks should stop anyone from getting more drinks if they appear intoxicated, even if they still have drink vouchers.
Alternative Transportation:
Provide alternative modes of transportation so that guests don’t have to worry about being too intoxicated to drive back home or having a designated driver.
Safety
It should be noted that you will likely be held accountable for any injuries that occur at your event if they were caused by your negligence in ensuring that your home was safe. That could be someone tripping on an extension cord or even Christmas lights. If someone is hurt, you could end up having to deal with potentially large sums of money for medical costs, so there should be extra care in checking in advance that there are no dangerous hazards in your party.
Emergency Plan:
Preventing an accident is important, but it’s even more essential to be prepared in the case that someone is hurt. Prepare a plan in the situation that someone needs any kind of medical help. Know where the nearest hospital is, have a defibrillator, and be aware of who knows how to perform CPR.
Leaving the House:
Be sure that everyone reaches their car safely if they are leaving the house and they are unfamiliar with the area. Having a simple system that ensures everyone can leave the party safely can be very effective in mitigating potential risks.
Contact First Beaches Insurance to discuss all of your insurance needs.