Blog Post  Be Winter Ready: Tips to Protect Your Home, Your Car, and Your Connections

Winter season is coming back to Massachusetts! Before the heavy snow and ice add strain to your home, vehicle, and the roads, a little preparation can help you avoid costly damage and stay safe throughout the season. The Division of Insurance (DOI) and the Department of Telecommunications and Cable (DTC) have useful tips to help you stay prepared.  

Protecting Your Home During the Winter 

Winter weather raises the risk of bursting pipes and ice dams. According to DOI’s most recent home insurance report, 48.6 percent, which is nearly half of Massachusetts homeowners’ insurance claims in 2024, were for non-flood water losses and freezing-related damage. Here are some steps you can take to help avoid a claim: 

• Guard against frozen pipes: Insulate pipes and seal leaks or cracks around them for maintaining water temperature. This helps prevent your pipes from freezing while reducing heat loss and improving energy efficiency. For cold snaps, opening the cabinet doors under sinks is one way to circulate warm air around pipes.  
• Keep your home warm: Most homeowners’ policies cover “sudden and accidental” water damage from a burst pipe only if the home was properly heated and not left unoccupied. Make sure to have your furnace or boiler serviced before winter starts. 
• Prevent ice dams: Ice dams are ridges of ice that form along the edge of a roof when heavy snow melts and freezes. It is important to avoid ice dams since they prevent melting snow from draining properly, soaking the roof decking and causing leaks into the home. To reduce the risk of ice dams, clear leaves and sticks from gutters and downspouts and improve attic insulation. 

As every insurance policy has different standards and amounts of coverage, visit the Division of Insurance webpage and the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety to find more information and tips. 

Preparing for Winter Road Trips 

Whether you are heading to the mountains or visiting family, a little preparation beforehand can help you avoid car damage. DOI's winter road trip guide recommends the following: 

• Review your insurance: Confirm your car insurance is active, your premium is paid, and you have suitable liability limits. Then, check whether your policy includes roadside assistance, such as towing, fuel delivery, lockout service, and jump-starts. If you are renting a car, check your own policy for rental coverage before buying extra protection. 
• Winterize your car: Schedule a tune-up a few weeks before your trip. These maintenances include replacing worn wipers, checking your fluids, hoses, belts, brakes, and battery, and making sure your tires can handle snow and ice. 
• Pack an emergency kit: Include a flashlight, flares or a reflective triangle, first aid supplies, basic tools, blankets, water, and a fully charged cell phone in case of emergency situations. 

Responding to Property or Vehicle Damage 

Even with good preparation, winter weather can cause damage to properties and vehicles. DOI provides Winter Weather and Insurance guidelines on what to do when property damage or an automobile accident happens. 

If your home is damaged: 

• Call your insurance company or agent with your policy number as soon as possible and ask what documents and forms you will need.  
• Take photos or video of the damage. 
• Make temporary repairs to prevent further damage, such as covering broken windows or leaking roofs, but wait on making permanent repairs until your insurer has inspected the damage. 
• Save all receipts. If you can’t live at home while repairs are made, ask whether your policy covers additional living expenses. 

Most standard homeowners policies cover damage from wind, trees or objects, and the collapse of a structure under the weight of ice or snow. Frozen pipes may not be covered if the damage is due to negligence, such as not maintaining adequate heat. Food spoilage from a power outage, flood damage, and removal of fallen trees that don’t damage your home are typically not covered as well. Some insurers offer endorsements for additional protection, so it is important to check with your agent or company. 

If you are in a car accident: 

• Call the police and collect names, contact information, and license numbers from everyone involved, including witnesses. 
• Record the time, location, road conditions, and what happened. 
• Notify your insurer and take notes on every conversation. 
• Ask whether your policy covers a rental vehicle, and save receipts for towing, storage, and rentals. 

Although an accident can be shocking, stay calm after an incident. Do not try to settle the matter with the other driver on your own and let the police or your insurer guide the process. Avoid admitting fault or agreeing to payment on the spot by negotiating or settling with the other party by yourself. For more tips, see DOI's Guide to Disaster and Emergency Insurance Preparations. If you have a dispute with your insurer or questions about your coverage, contact DOI’s Consumer Services Unit at 617-521-7794. 

Staying Connected in an Emergency 

Storms can bring high winds, falling trees and debris, flooding, and erosion that can damage utility lines and telecommunications infrastructure, disrupting your telephone service. To help you understand how these conditions may affect your communications services, the DTC offers tips to help you stay connected in an emergency and explains how different types of telephone services may function during a power or service outage. 

• Traditional Landline Telephone Service: Traditional copper telephone service may continue to work during a power outage, but fiber-based telephone service typically requires backup battery power to keep the equipment necessary for your service operational. Keep a corded phone on hand because cordless phones require electricity to power their base stations and charge handsets. 
• Internet-Based Telephone Service (Voice over Internet Protocol, or VoIP): VoIP services, including those offered by cable providers such as Comcast and Spectrum, generally won’t work during a power outage unless the necessary equipment has backup power. Ask your provider about backup battery options for your equipment, test the battery periodically, and consider purchasing an extra one in case of extended outages. 
• Wireless Telephone Service: Charge your mobile devices before a storm, adjust settings to conserve battery power, and keep a car charger, solar charger, or portable power bank handy. During emergencies, text messages are often more likely to get through than voice calls when networks are congested. In Massachusetts, Text-to-911 is available if you cannot safely make a voice call. Keep your phone dry and protected from water damage and be aware that even a cell phone without an active service plan may be able to call 911 if a compatible wireless network is available. 

Important: Never touch or approach downed utility wires, as they may be energized and dangerous. Stay a safe distance away and report them to your local police or fire department using their non-emergency telephone number. If there is an immediate danger, call 911. 

Tips to help you and your household stay in touch: 

• Keep a printed list of important contacts and update it regularly, including non-emergency telephone numbers for your local fire and police departments. 
• Enroll in your community’s emergency alert system and make sure your device is enabled to receive Wireless Emergency Alerts. 
• Create a Family Emergency Communication Plan (PDF) by collecting important contact information, developing emergency action plans, and practicing them regularly with your household. 

If you aren’t sure what type of phone service you have, contact your provider. For questions about your telecommunications service, you can call the DTC’s Consumer Hotline at (800) 392-6066. If you experience issues with your provider that you are unable to resolve, you can request assistance through the DTC’s online complaint form. 

Winter weather is unpredictable and can have a huge impact. But you can be ready to protect you and your family members. Take time now to protect your home, prepare your car, review your insurance, and plan how you’ll stay connected.