Everyone has the story about a neighbor’s inspired idea that didn’t actually turn out to be so brilliant. Indeed, the winter months seem to encourage and breed such ideas. Snow and ice related hazards spur people to actions that would normally be considered crazy. The following is (unfortunately) a true story.

The night of a particularly deep freeze, two neighbors—we shall call them John and Paul—awoke to find their driveway encased in ice. Being situated at the bottom of a hill, the neighbors could not get their vehicles out of the driveway, and were forced to stay inside and keep warm.

Fast forward several hours. John’s daughter spotted smoke rising in the driveway’s direction. She alerted her father, and John hurried out to determine the smoke’s source.  It didn’t take him long—the driveway was on fire.

Several panicked minutes and choice words later, John had extinguished the small blaze and surveyed the now smoky landscape. He noticed something he hadn’t before. His neighbor, Paul, stood a short distance off, can of gasoline in hand. John looked at the driveway, then back at Paul. He asked his neighbor if he had started the fire. Paul nodded. In response to John’s stunned silence, Paul explained that he needed to get to the grocery store. The ice prevented him from getting out of the driveway. Because he really needed to get a few things, Paul had to get rid of the ice, and thought the best way to do so was lighting the driveway on fire.

Though this story is an extreme example of neighborly antics, they can and do happen. In moments, things turn from crazy to serious. Even dangerous. Paul’s homemade fire didn’t cause any real damage (or succeed in melting any ice), but if it had, John’s house, car, or shed could have caught fire. Having unpredictable neighbors can be worrisome, but knowing your insurance covers any damage caused by said neighbors can alleviate some of the anxiety.

At Homer Smith Insurance, we can assist in putting your mind at ease. We offer free quotes and can review your current insurance coverage and policies. Browse our website, e-mail us, or call directly: 888-433-0031. Your neighbor probably won’t light your driveway on fire, but it’s always good to know you’re covered if things don’t exactly go according to plan.

Erin Stork, Homer Smith Insurance