Thread: Insurance :-/

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Hello. I don't know if this is the best place to ask this question. I hope so. I have looked and looked all around the internet and am not able to find the solid answer to my question. I would like to open my first home haunt this year. It would be a maze type haunt in my front yard with basic walls made out of wood and black plastic (possibly) with props placed accordingly. No charge for admission. I would advertise it through flyers around town and maybe a facebook page. What kind of insurance would I need for this? Will my home owners insurance cover it? Or do I need some umbrella coverage? Or what? What does everyone else here do as far as insurance? Any help would be appreciated.

Well, there is no easy answer for this as insurance laws vary by state. So, the answer is to talk to your agent.

IN GENERAL, however, if you're not charging, home owners will cover it.

HOWEVER, let's take a worst case scenario that someone trips, falls, and impales an eye on a stake holding up a tombstone, or even dies. Your home owners is only going to cover you for whatever the amount of your liability is...and that lawsuit is going to be a lot more than that.

So, a secondary insurance, or umbrella policy is not a bad idea to consider, since lawyers are allowed to come after your liability insurance amount, plus the value of everything you own...but they are not allowed to factor in an umbrella policy when determining the lawsuit $. This scenario, however, applies to all situations, not just Halloween.

I deal with AAA for my homeowners. My agent advised to get the higher protection plan just for that month/event and then go back to what you had after everything is put away. Make sure you keep the hazards to a 0. Less mess means less chance of lawsuit or having to use the insurance.

Check w/ your home owners insurance and once you get set up besure to have the Fire Marshall come and check it out, also some counties may require a permit/

I bumped my personal liability ins. up to about $250,000 from $125,000 this year and it didn't cost my anything more.

I talked with my insurance agent in the past. He said "spook alleys" are covered. But that doesn't relieve you of the responsibility of ensuring you have a safe haunt.

See if your haunt must be inspected. I saw the tale of a member here that had a huge haunt set up with black plastic, and the last minute a fire marshal inspected the haunt nd made them take down all their black plastic!

Ditto on the plastic, big fire problem there. Herman Secret was featured on his local news, the fire marshal was at his house quickly. I can't remember how long it was, but hrs. He was fine because all of his fire was fake, but cudos to him, it must have looked pretty awesome on tv!hahaha

Thanks guys for the help!!! Another question. What do you guys do about security? Do you just patrol it yourself or hire an officer?

One last question... Parking?! Where do you guys have people park? (Those people that live in a neighborhood.)

Cover everything in maple syrup, if they touch it, they will drop it, when its time to put it away just hose it off. I stole the idea, but I'm doing it.