PEMCO Insurance talks about risks with artificial vs. real trees

SEATTLE -- Whether your Christmas tree is real or artificial, each have a risk if you don't take certain precautions.

PEMCO Insurance is giving safety tips for both.

When deciding between a real or artificial tree, it boils down to personal preference. Derek Wing, the Communications Manager at PEMCO Insurance said most people use artificial trees.

"Real trees tend to run about 75 dollars," said Wing. "Artificial trees maybe on average about 120 dollars. Artificial trees are probably a little bit more cost effective."

Wing said people don't have to feel guilty about chopping down a Christmas tree.

Almost all Christmas trees are farmed crops, making them not much different from broccoli or lettuce.

They're grown for about 10 years before they're harvested and during that time, the trees are cleaning the air, stabilizing soil and preserving open farm land.

Your homeowners or renters insurance would cover damaged caused by a Christmas tree fire or even injuries to a guest if the tree fell over.



Safety tips for artificial trees:


    Safety tips for real trees:


      For fire prevention, keep an eye on the lights no matter what kind of tree you have. Here's what PEMCO recommends: