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Homeowners insurance rates are based on many factors. One of the most important is the likelihood of someone getting injured or killed on a policyholders property. Having an attractive nuisance in your yard could make your insurance rates significantly higher than your neighbors.

What Is an Attractive Nuisance?
An attractive nuisance is a feature of a property that is both attractive and dangerous to children. Some common examples are a pool, fountain, pond, trampoline, playground equipment, tree house, or broken-down vehicle or appliance. Children are naturally drawn to these things out of curiosity or a desire to have fun and often have no idea how dangerous they can be.

What Is the Attractive Nuisance Doctrine?
Court cases have established that homeowners who have an attractive nuisance on their property have a responsibility to take extra measures to protect children from harm. A homeowner can be found responsible for a childs injuries or death if the homeowner knew that there was a chance that a child might not understand that an object was dangerous and that a child could be injured or killed by it, and yet the homeowner did not take reasonable steps to keep children safe. A homeowner can be held liable even if a child was trespassing on the property.

What Are the Insurance Impacts?
Homeowners insurance companies charge higher rates for people who have an attractive nuisance on their property because of the possibility that a child could be injured or killed and the insurance company could have to pay a large amount to settle the case. If you have an attractive nuisance on your property, you might be able to reduce your premium by taking significant, concrete steps to protect children.

If you have a pool, you can install a fence around it that is high and difficult for children to climb and that has a locked gate. A pool cover or an alarm that goes off if someone enters the pool unsupervised can also prevent accidents. If you have a tree house, fencing in the area around the tree, or the entire yard, can keep kids out. Making sure the tree house is well maintained and doesnt have any broken wood or loose nails can prevent injuries to children who are allowed to use it. If you have a trampoline, installing safety nets and putting a fence around the trampoline or the perimeter of the yard can help you keep your homeowners insurance rates down.

Talk to Your Insurance Company
Many homeowners buy or build things to provide fun for their families and dont understand how their insurance rates could be affected. If you have an attractive nuisance on your property, an insurance company will see it as a major liability risk. Talk to your carrier about measures you can take to protect children and keep your rates down.

Published with permission from RISMedia.

Here are three easy work-from-home upgrades to increase your productivity.

Focus on Furnishings

An adequate desk and comfortable chair are obvious necessities. In addition, a few luxuries”like a coffee maker or a mini fridge for snacks”will help you feel your best.

Tech Essentials

Quality items like a high-definition monitor, noise-canceling headphones or high-end speakers can make a huge difference in your home office.

Video Conference With Ease

Proper lighting in your home office and faster internet speeds with an upgraded WiFi connection will make video conferencing a breeze.

Published with permission from RISMedia.

Published with permission from RISMedia.

Here are four features to look for in a second home to help you feel relaxed.

A Place to Unplug

Ideally, this is a place where you can slow down, unplug and enjoy the simpler side of life.

Favorite Activities

A second home is all about lifestyle and should cater to your hobbies. A house that offers access to your favorite activities is sure to bring joy into your life.

Lounging Areas

If you feel like you could benefit from a little R&R, then look for a home where you can envision the whole family just hanging out together.

Focus on the Feeling

This is where youll go to treat yourself, so it should send a wave of tranquility over you each time you step foot on the property.

Published with permission from RISMedia.

Your family and guests will probably spend a lot of time in the living room, so you want to create a space thats warm, inviting and functional. The furniture you choose will depend on how you plan to utilize the room and the feelings you want to evoke. Some general guidelines can help you make the right choices for your home.

How Will You Use Your Living Room?
When choosing furniture, think about how your family and guests will use it and what kinds of conditions are typical in your home. If you like to entertain large groups of people, make sure you have plenty of seating. Choose a sofa and loveseat or a sectional based on the size and layout of the room. Dont choose a hard-to-clean fabric for your couch if you have young kids who frequently spill things or pets that like to sleep on the furniture.

Where Do You Want People to Focus Their Attention?
Choose a focal point and then plan the rest of the living room decor based on that. If you want peoples eyes to be drawn to a fireplace or picture window, choose furniture that can be arranged around it. If you want a couch or a colorful rug to be the focus, figure out which other pieces you can use to complement it.

Whats Your Style?
Decide whether you want a traditional, modern or minimalist vibe. Choose colors thatll work together to create the atmosphere you want. If you include some bright colors, balance them out with neutrals. Feel free to mix and match patterns. Itll work if theres at least one common color tying everything together.

Which Furniture Should You Choose?
Start with the essentials, such as a sofa, loveseat or armchairs, coffee table, and end tables. Then choose accent pieces, such as lamps, ottomans and bookcases. Invest in quality furniture thatll last a long time.

Think about where youll store books, DVDs, video games, toys, and other things that you plan to keep in your living room or that may wind up there. Tables and ottomans with built-in storage can help you keep the room organized and allow you to tidy up quickly if guests drop by unexpectedly.

How Should You Lay out the Room?
Measure the living room and the furniture, and experiment with floor plans on paper so you can try different arrangements without having to move heavy furniture around several times. Avoid having too much empty space, but dont fill the room with so much furniture that it looks and feels cramped.

Design Your Ideal Living Space
The living room is the heart of your home. Make it comfortable, attractive and functional based on the way your family will use it and the styles you prefer. Look at magazines and websites and visit some furniture stores to explore a wide range of ideas and choose the ones that are best for your lifestyle.

Published with permission from RISMedia.