The holidays are a time of giving and sharing, but not all giving and sharing is good. Many conservation easements prohibit subdivision — so a generous landowner who decides to give the back lot to a relative may be violating the easement. And since Terrafirma insurance divides parcels by number of owners, the division would affect your coverage.

Just asking the landowner about subdivision sometimes isn’t enough. Here is a list of things to watch out for:

• Any new deeds or easements being prepared or recorded
• Shared ownership with multiple parties
• Wills that give the property to multiple heirs
• Wills that grant a life estate in part of the property
• Plans to give a house lot to a relative
• Bankruptcy, foreclosure or divorce proceedings

If you discover a subdivision, don’t hesitate to file a claim or placeholder claim. The situation may be simple to resolve but why take the risk? Filing a claim is easy!