Umbrella insurance covers your personal liability. It can kick in when your car or homeowners insurance limits are reached or when those two policies fail to cover a particular type of claim. Thus, it can be extremely valuable, avoiding the need for you to personally pay certain claims out of your own savings and assets. We thought it would be helpful to provide a few examples of Massachusetts umbrella insurance claims.
1 – Dog Bites
Dog bites have been in the news quite a bit lately. Even seemingly friendly dogs can end up biting another animal or human being. If your dog is found to be the aggressor or otherwise at fault for an incident, as the dog owner, you would be responsible for damages. This can include medical expenses, damage to property, loss of life, and pain and suffering. Additionally, there are court costs for your defense. The costs can be significant. Having an umbrella policy is critical if you are a dog owner.
2 – Incidents at Your Home
There are many things that can happen at your home to cause personal injury or damage property. Examples are trees falling, decks failing, people falling off play sets or equipment (i.e. trampolines), food poisoning, etc. Given the high cost of medical care, it can be easy to reach limits on your homeowners insurance policy. Umbrella insurance would kick in to help cover that overage.
3 – Indirect Liability
There are also cases of potential indirect liability. The most common scenario involves the serving of alcohol. Imagine someone attending a party at your home and consuming too much alcohol, and then getting into an accident while driving home. One could argue that you hold some responsibility given that you served him/her that alcohol and/or allowed that person to drive home. It’s likely that your homeowners insurance policy would deny this type of claim, leaving you personally responsible. Umbrella insurance could be used to help cover your liability.
4 – Slander & Social Media Fails
Social media has created a new category of potential liability. Comments posted online can be construed as slander or defamation. If you are accused of such a crime or are a victim, an expensive court battle may ensue. Umbrella insurance can help cover court costs.
Other Examples of Massachusetts Umbrella Insurance Claims
The above are just a few examples of Massachusetts umbrella insurance claims. Umbrella insurance can actually cover many more types of incidents. There is potential liability in our daily lives from coaching your kids’ sports teams to volunteering or holding events at your home. Some liabilities are difficult to foresee and can be quite surprising. Court fees and attorney fees can add up. Plus, if you lose a court case, you could be liable to pay hefty damages. Umbrella insurance is the best way to protect yourself from various types of personal liabilities. It can cover court and attorney costs in addition to paying damages. As with any other insurance, there are limits to coverage. Your insurance agent can help you select a coverage amount that reflects your personal circumstance. Contact us for a free quote on umbrella insurance.
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