Bringing Home Baby? How to Make Your Home Safer

A new addition to the family is life-changing. Your priorities for homemaking will likely become less focused on you, and more on your child’s needs.

There will be a lot of things to do both before and after you bring baby home. You have to take a lot of precautions to create a safe environment for the child. This often involves legal, clerical and physical modifications to your home.

Having a Child: Modify Your Homeowners Insurance

Most homeowners carry property, liability and possessions insurance on their home. It can help the homeowner afford repairs for damage to the home or its possessions. Also, if a member of your family injures a third party or damages their property, insurance can help cover their losses.

A new child often impacts how much risk is present in a home. The child itself, of course, is a priceless asset that needs protection under the policy. Their possessions and liabilities will also need coverage. When you find out you are going to have a baby, you should immediately contact your home insurer. Your agent can help you modify your policy to account for this new family member. You might need to raise your coverage limits or add policy riders to better protect the presence of a child.

Making Your Home a Safer Place to Live

Any expert will tell you that you have to prepare for a new baby in the house. Babies are fragile human beings, and they need protection throughout their lives. Childproofing your home can help keep your little one safe as they begin to grow.

When childproofing the home, survey the property for possible child hazards. These may include:

• Staircases, stoops, heavy doorways or other means of entry or exit
• Heavy or tilted furniture
• Unsecured cabinets that contain potentially-harmful materials. This may include medicine cabinets, refrigerators, washing machines, liquor cabinets, storage sheds. The list is long.
• Exposed poison risks like insect repellent, medication, cleaning materials and other chemicals
• Exposed wall sockets or other sources of electrical current
• Suffocation risks like pillows, blankets, clothes hampers, curtain cords and stuffed animals
• Sources of flames like fireplaces, candles and space heaters
• The presence of firearms

In a nutshell, there is often no limit on what household items might harm a child. Therefore, parents should consult expert recommendations on childproofing a house. Doing so can greatly reduce the chances of something happening to your child in your home. With the right combination of security and insurance, you can keep your child safe. Explore our web resources for more information on homeowners coverage.  You can also call 817.589.0006 and talk to an agent.

Also Read: How to Prevent Home Fires and Getting Rid of Mold