Insuring and Ensuring a Safe Tailgating Season
Tailgates are a way for fans to escape their daily lives and kick back with like-minded people. Nothing beats throwing back your draft of choice, blasting some music, fighting over folding chairs, grilling hot food, and hanging out. It sounds like a terrific time! How could anything go wrong?
I know it might not seem like you would put “tailgating” and “insurance” in the same sentence, but there are many reasons why these two words go hand-to-hand. While you cannot ensure that your team will succeed, you can provide yourself with insurance. When dealing with your car, other people, and other outside influences, something may go wrong beyond your control.
Therefore it is wise to have insurance for tailgaters.
Scenario 1: Flat tire on the way home
After the tailgate party, you head to the game! It is a great game, and your team does a beautiful job. Nothing could ruin this night, as far as you can see. You head back to the parking lot with your friends and family, part ways, and head home. As you are backing out, you did not realize that you ran over a broken bottle. The glass puts a hole in your tire. After a while of driving, the tire starts to give out. But you do not have your spare tire!
Solution:
Roadside assistance. One simple phone call and you are back on the road to home sweet home.
Scenario 2: Your car catches fire (hear me out)
You are grilling some hot dogs and hamburgers. Unbeknownst to you, someone throws a football, knocks over the grill, causing the car to catch fire. The fire department must come down and put the fire out. While this is unlikely, it is something to keep in mind. Grill safety is paramount. Grills have caused fires before, and it will happen again.
Solution:
Car insurance. Some insurance policies will cover expenses not related to an accident on the road, like fires.
Scenario 3: Opposing team revenge
The person who hates your team gets revenge. While you are watching the game, this person decides to go tag up your car. When you get back to your car after the game, there it is spray painted and vandalized.
Solution:
Car insurance. Some car insurance cover vandalism.
Scenario 4: Someone gets food poisoning
A stranger decided to come to join your tailgate late. You offered to give them one of your left-over hamburgers, which they accepted ever graciously. A few hours later, you find out that they got terrible food poisoning, and now they want to sue you.
Solution:
Homeowner insurance. Depending on their policy, they may cover your liability for unintentionally harming someone else’s body, whether at home or not.
Bonus Scenario: Falling Off of Your Vehicle
Not that you are part of a fan group that would…I don’t know….intentionally jump off of a vehicle onto a…..perhaps….folding table. But, if a fan accidentally falls off their car during a pregame celebration this could obviously cause some issues. Mainly, if someone were to fall off of their vehicle and sustain injuries, they can at least rest assured knowing they would be covered under their auto policy. Explaining the injuries at work on Monday is a whole other issue.
As you can see, there are many examples where tailgating can turn into a nightmare. If you take proper precautions, you do not have to worry. There are plenty of options and insurance for tailgaters, so be sure to make sure you are fully covered before you go ahead, get the tickets, pack the trunk, and go tailgating – and of course cheer on your team.