Umbrella insurance is a policy that can cover the gaps in many other types of insurance policies by answering some of life’s major “what if” questions. While it’s common to have many types of insurance policies, umbrella coverage can provide financial assistance for a variety of outlying situations.
Here is a basic guide to umbrella insurance to help you learn more:
What does umbrella insurance cover?
Umbrella insurance provides additional personal liability coverage for situations not included in other policies. The major liability issues umbrella coverage includes are bodily injury, property damage and legal coverage in certain lawsuits.
Umbrella insurance can help you in a variety of situations where another person is injured due to an accident. These might be events your auto insurance or homeowners insurance cannot pay for. Some examples include:
- A guest falls while visiting your home
- You’re at fault in a major traffic accident
- A neighbor is bitten by your dog
It can also cover you if you’re sued for certain things, including but not limited to libel, slander or false imprisonment.
What is not covered by umbrella insurance?
There are several key differences between umbrella insurance and other types of policies. For example, here are some things similar to those listed above are not covered:
- Damage to your personal property.
- Medical bills from a personal injury, typically your own.
- Any liability assumed under a contract.
Do I need umbrella insurance?
Hopefully, you will never have to worry about these or any other types of insurance claims, but umbrella insurance can mitigate your losses if something should go wrong.
Ultimately, the decision is personal and might depend on numerous factors including your property type and location, how many vehicles you own and what your existing home and auto insurance limits are.
The more you know about your options, the greater peace of mind you’ll have. Discuss with an insurance professional to find out what makes the most sense for your situation.
About the Author
Claire Rainville
I have been conducting business in this local area for 20 years as a full-time real estate broker. My priority as a real estate broker is to ensure my client’s satisfaction through providing them top-class service specifically catered to their individual needs. As your agent, I will effectively communicate with other parties involved in your transaction to ensure the purchase or sale of your home/land/investment property goes smoothly. I use my high-touch philosophy and high-tech resources to attractively market my listings as a seller’s agent, and will proactively use my connections as an experienced real estate broker to find my clients’ their dream home. I am also available via phone, email or text messaging to accommodate my clients’ various schedules and/or preferred mode of communication.
