Riskmas VacationRisk Elves From Lockton® Analyze A Full-Blown, Four-Alarm Holiday Emergency

December 2014 • Lockton® Companies

L O C K T O N C O M P A N I E S

With great responsibility, come great risks. This is also true when

applied to the classic holiday film “National Lampoon’s Christmas

Vacation.” A veritable nightmare for any insurance professional,

this movie captures just how badly things can go when the

Griswolds enter a full-blown, four-alarm holiday emergency.

No one has ever put more of their blood, sweat, tears, and copious amounts of eggnog into making a perfect family Christmas as Clark Wilhelm Griswold, Jr. As he sets standards that no family activity can live up to, he has placed the mantle of the “Best Christmas Ever” squarely on his shoulders, piling on more responsibility as things inevitably take a turn toward turmoil.

The end message, however, is something to be admired. No matter how bad a perfect plan goes awry, or how many fires, SWAT teams, and potentially contagious surprise guests invade your home, in the end all you need is family to have the perfect Christmas.

Luckily for the Griswold family, there is one aspect of this holiday that will not go wrong: their insurance coverage. Clark’s bumbling has been mitigated significantly with the help of a team of Lockton Associates, who have provided options to protect the Griswolds from Clark’s general buffoonery. They had their work cut out for them, but in the end, the Griswolds had the hap, hap, happiest Christmas ever with all the coverage they needed.

Contributing Elves

Joe Branstetter

Cody Cutter

Andy DiOrio

Sabaria Christie

Celeste Gassman

Shannon Hilding

Susan Hill

Kevin Klein

Tausha Lien

Tyler Norris

Patrick O’Brien

With acknowledgement to “National Lampoon’s

Christmas Vacation” (1989)

2

TREE LIMBS ROASTING ON A CIGAR FIRE

Claim Scenario

Uncle Lewis loves a stogie after dinner. Unbeknownst to him, Cousin Eddie’s dog, Snot, drank all the water from under the Griswold family Christmas tree, leaving it dryer than the turkey they just had for their holiday meal. As Uncle Lewis lit up his sweet cigar, the tree burst into fl ames faster than Cousin Eddie in a church. All that remains of the former “most beautiful tree in the world” is a sad, charred skeleton of a trunk and the heavy scent of burned pine.

Coverage Applicable—Property

Christmas trees are a festive part of people’s homes during the holiday season. Property coverage will assure the Griswold’s personal property, including the Christmas tree and gifts beneath it is covered from anything that may destroy it. Cigar-induced inferno or otherwise.

MOST BLUNDERFUL TIME OF THE YEAR

Claim Scenario

Having the biggest and best Christmas tree is the quickest way to show everyone they need to be keeping up with you, and not Todd and Margo Chester next door. In doing so, risking frostbite or being frozen from the waist down is a negligible concern (“It’s all part of the experience.”) The Griswolds don’t want their pristine tree to be lost, damaged in transit, or in any way harmed once picked out, even if the tree is a little full with a lot of sap.

Coverage Applicable—Inland Marine (Cargo)

People bring trees home from near and far, whether it’s a remote forest or a local store parking lot. It doesn’t matter how long the trip; there is always a chance the tree can be stolen or damaged along the way. Overloading the Griswold family station wagon may be cheaper, but this opens the family up to a large exposure. Clark should pay to have someone transport the tree, given its size. After all, the tree isn’t going in the yard; it’s going in the living room.

Biggest and Best Christmas Tree

It’s all part ofthe experience!

The Most Beautiful Tree in the World

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December 2014 • Lockton Companies

3

NOT SO SILENT NIGHT

Claim Scenario

One of Cousin Eddie’s fi ner traits is frugality. Instead of paying money to empty his waste in a legal dumping ground, he found a nearby storm drain to expunge his noxious, toxic slop into the unsuspecting sewers. After all, his RV’s toilet was full, so what is a mobile houseguest supposed to do?

Coverage Applicable—No Coverage

Since this was an intentional act by Cousin Eddie, the pollution loss exposure will not be covered under any policy. Not to mention if the sewer fi lls with gas, we pity the person who lights a match within 10 yards of it. However, if his waste would have accidently leaked all over the highway on his drive to the Griswold’s home, a pollution policy would provide coverage.

That There’s an RV!

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4.IT’S BEGINNING TO LOOK A LOT LIKE TAKEOUT

Claim Scenario

The Griswold family china has been an exquisite metaphor for the regal standard that the family holds itself to, albeit often coming up short. After a neighborhood squirrel embedded in the tree made a run for it, the justly provoked Snot made a not-so-graceful leap off the china in his pursuit of the furry varmint. Cousin Eddie did not join in the pursuit, namely because he had heard squirrels were high in cholesterol. After this slobber-fueled chase, all that was left of the china was a pile of broken memories on the fl oor.

Coverage Applicable—Inland Marine (Fine Arts)

In addition to this year’s membership to Jelly of the Month Club that Clark received from his boss, he also received the opportunity to purchase an Inland Marine—Fine Arts policy through an insurance carrier at a reduced price. While they can’t fi x Snot, at least the Griswold’s priceless china collection will be replaced.

Squirrel!

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December 2014 • Lockton Companies

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I’M DREAMING OF AN ICE CHRISTMAS

Claim Scenario5.

No, Aunt Bethany, Those Are Christmas Lights

Clark Griswold always has the best of intentions, except when it comes to his snooty neighbors. While he was working on the Christmas lights, he slipped and almost fell off the roof. Luckily, Clark used his cat-like refl exes to grab the gutter, managing to catch himself before tumbling into the bushes below. However, in the process, the gutter dislodged and hurled a javelin of frozen water through the Chester’s window and broke their stereo system, in addition to ruining their carpet.

Coverage Applicable—General Liability

Accidents can happen when putting up Christmas lights. General Liability coverage will protect Clark from having to pay property claims for damage to his neighbor’s stereo and window. With the money he saved, he’ll be able to help Cousin Eddie provide presents for his kids this year. We would recommend a strong fungal cream for Rocky’s lip.

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December 2014 • Lockton Companies

6.DECK THE BOSS WITH BOUGHS OF HOLLY

Claim Scenario

The Gift That Keeps on Giving

Jelly of the Month

Clark has been counting on his holiday bonus this year to fund the newest upgrade to his house: a pool. He was particularly disappointed when all he received was a one-year membership to the Jelly of the Month club, despite the fact that it’s the gift that keeps on giving throughout the whole year. This put him into a fi t of rage as he ranted about his boss, Frank Shirley’s “Cheap, lying, no good, rotten, low- life, snake-licking, dirt-eating, inbred, ignorant, blood-sucking, dog-kissing, brainless, hopeless, heartless” demeanor while countless people watched. Somebody get that man some Tylenol.

Coverage Applicable—General Liability/Personal & Advertising Injury

Since Clark knew that some of the adjectives he used to slander his boss were untrue—specifi cally “snake-licking” and “blood-sucking”—the Griswolds would be covered through Coverage B of the General Liability policy—Personal and Advertising Injury. After all, Clark will want to take back all he said once he hears his boss is not only reinstating bonuses, but giving him an extra 20 percent.

While it’s unlikely that your holiday mishaps will add up to the four-alarm disaster at the

Griswold’s, remember that preparing the proper insurance coverage can help protect your

home from the holidays. Plus, if you’re looking for any last-minute gift ideas for loved ones,

it serves as a better substitute than taking somebody from their happy, holiday slumber

over there on Melody Lane.