So what is homeowner's liability and how does it protect me?
Our team of insurance advisors speak with thousands of individuals and find the vast majority don't have a detailed understanding of their homeowner's liability coverage. Many admit to having purchased their past policies based solely on price without clearly understanding the amount of risk they have personally assumed based on the insurance policy contract signed with their insurance company.
All standard homeowners insurance policies include liability coverage, below is a high level summary of the protection provided:
- If a visitor is injured on the property
- (Child's friend is hurt on your trampoline, someone trips on your step, falls on a slippery floor or outside on some ice, etc.)
- If a homeowner or family member living in the home accidentally hurts another person
- (Your in a grocery store and accidently hit a child with your grocery cart, she sustains an injury needing medical attention.)
- If a homeowner or family member living in the home causes damage to other's property away from their home
- (Your son hits a baseball directly into your neighbors large window while paying with his friends.)
Homeowner's Liability - What is covered?
- Personal Liability Coverage
- (We live in a litigious world, if you are sued for a covered incident your homeowner's liability coverage can help pay for and typically appoint an attorney to represent you.)
- (Damages to other's property caused by you are also covered.)
- Medical Expense Coverage
- (When others who don't live in your home are injured on your property, homeowner's liability coverage may help pay their medical bills, even if they have their own health insurance.)
- Other Coverage Examples
- (Lost wages for a person you accidently injured and they can't go to work because of the injury.)
- (If someone dies because of an injury on your property their funeral costs and death benefits for survivors may be covered.)
- (Pain and suffering which is commonly awarded in court cases to pay for the emotional, mental, and physical pain caused by an injury.)
- (With access to social media platforms it is very easy for a member of your household, even your children, to be charged with defaming someone's character, your homeowner's liability policy normally has libel and slander coverage.)
- SPECIAL NOTE: The amount of coverage offered in the above examples is only up to the policy limit in your insurance contract, commonly referred to as your insurance policy.
Homeowner's Liability - What IS NOT covered?
- Family member injuries. This is what your health insurance is for.
- Injury or damage to other's property that you do intentionally.
- (Your friend trips and falls down your stairs, COVERED. You push your fiend down the stairs, NOT COVERED.)
- Dog bite injuries
- (This coverage varies with insurance companies. It is very commonly excluded in policy language for certain dog breeds and some companies exclude it completely. Make sure you know how your policy, insurance contract, exclusions read if you have a dog.)
- Home based business injuries to others. You need Business Liability Insurance if a person is injured while at your home for a business related purpose.
- Auto insurance covers car accidents and boat insurance covers boating accidents. Homeowner's policies normally have out-of-home exclusions for injuries caused by your vehicle, boat, ATV, etc.
- SPECIAL NOTE: Your insurance contract, commonly referred to as an insurance policy, may have other exclusions. It is important to review your policy verbiage carefully
Contact us today for a customized homeowner insurance quote.
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