Triple-I Offers Tips on Celebrating July 4 Safely

For Immediate Release
New York Press Office: Michael Barry, 917-923-8245, michaelb@iii.org

NEW YORK, June 27, 2023—Fireworks displays, outdoor cooking, and pool parties are traditional ways to mark Independence Day yet these activities must be conducted in a safe manner, according to the Insurance Information Institute (Triple-I). 

To make sure everyone celebrates safely, Triple-I notes there are risks, as well as insurance implications, to consider as Tuesday, July 4, nears:

FIREWORKS: Firecrackers, bottle rockets, and sparklers contributed to about 11,500 fireworks-related, emergency room-treated injuries in the U.S. in 2021, a June 2022 report by the U.S. Consumer Protect Safety Commission (CPSC) estimated.  Damage to property and personal possessions caused to a residence, or bodily injury incurred by persons on-site by legal fireworks, will be covered typically under standard homeowners and renters insurance policies. The same cannot be said for illegal fireworks because homeowners and renters insurance policies often exclude coverage for unlawful activities.

OUTDOOR COOKING:  U.S. fire departments responded each year to an average of 11,421 home fires involving grills, hibachis, or barbecues between 2017 and 2021, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) reports.  July is the peak month for grill fires and roughly half the injuries involving grills are thermal burns, the NFPA notes, in its Grilling Safety tips brochure. 

POOLS: Drowning is the leading cause of death among U.S. children aged one to four years old, the CPSC reported earlier this month. There were an average of 371 pool or spa-related fatal drownings per year between 2018-2020, among Americans aged 15 and younger, according to the same CPSC report.  Nearly 80 percent of these drownings occur in residential settings and can be prevented if no child is left unattended by an adult, when a child is in or near water. Pool Safely offers additional safety tips.

ALCOHOL: Social host liability laws vary widely but 40-plus states have them on the books. Most of these laws offer an injured person a method to sue the person who served them alcohol while on the host’s premises. Criminal charges also may apply under some social host liability laws.

Any of these scenarios pose a liability risk, so homeowners are advised to review the liability protection section of their homeowners insurance policy. Purchasing a homeowners insurance policy with a liability limit of at least $300,000 is often a cost-effective step to take in consultation with an insurance professional.  In addition, homeowners should consider buying a personal umbrella liability policy. It provides coverage for losses above the liability limit of an underlying homeowners insurance policy.

RELATED LINKS: 

Articles:                              Grilling Safety

                                             Pool Safety

                                             Social Host Liability

Facts and Statistics:           Fire

Videos:                                Boat Insurance

                                             Fireworks Safety

                                             Grilling Safety

                                             Pool Safety