Personal Liability Insurance (PLI) is designed to cover you in the event of an accident that occurs either in or out of your home, resulting in either property damage or personal injury, whereby you are held legally responsible.
WHAT IS PERSONAL LIABILITY INSURANCE FOR HOMEOWNERS?
WHAT DOES PERSONAL LIABILITY INSURANCE COVER?
Under a standard homeowners or renters insurance policy, PLI could offer protection, up to your policy limits, against the following: – Bodily injury to an individual, but not the policyholder – Legal action you could face as a result of an accident occurring either on your property or another person's property – Property damage that arises as a result of your negligence
WHAT IS NOT COVERED BY PERSONAL LIABILITY INSURANCE?
Most standard renters and homeowner insurance policies will cover specific personal liability claims; there is a range of instances that will not be covered. These could include: – Property damage or bodily injury that is intentionally caused by the policyholder or a member of their family – Liability that results from an auto accident (this is usually covered under an auto insurance policy) – Any activities related to your business or profession – Damages or injuries that happen to the policyholder or their family while at home
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HOW MUCH LIABILITY INSURANCE DO I NEED?
There is no right or wrong answer, and as with all insurances, you need to buy enough coverage for your individual risk profile. Talk with your local insurance agency to get a better understanding of the amount of coverage you need for your individual circumstances.
WHAT IS A PERSONAL LIABILITY INSURANCE UMBRELLA POLICY?
An umbrella policy is a cost-effective way to increase the value of the coverage you have in place. For example, if your standard level of personal liability insurance as part of your homeowner's insurance provides you with coverage up to a limit of $500,000, buying umbrella insurance will give you an additional dollar value of coverage that increases your overall coverage limit.
IS HOMEOWNER'S INSURANCE MANDATORY FOR A HOMEOWNER?
It is possible to own a home and not buy homeowner's insurance. However, if there is another party with a financial interest in your property, such as a home equity loan provider or a mortgage company, they will typically insist it is insured as part of the terms of your agreement.
WHO SHOULD BUY PERSONAL LIABILITY INSURANCE?
Personal liability coverage should be considered as soon as a person is living on their own. It can be easily added to either a homeowner's or renter's insurance policy, and the cost of adding this is nominal. Regardless of your assets, it's important to protect any future wealth or earnings.
ARE ANY LIABILITIES FOR DRIVING A VEHICLE COVERED BY PERSONAL LIABILITY INSURANCE?
DO YOU REALLY NEED TO BUY PERSONAL LIABILITY COVERAGE?
The occurrence of lawsuits and legal action has increased exponentially. According to the National Safety Council (source), there were more than 37.5 million individuals who sustained medically consulted injuries in the home. Combine this with figures released by the Insurance Information Institute (source) that suggest 1/20 homes have a claim each year, and 1/900 homeowner's policies have had a liability claim made against them. Whether you buy homeowners or renters insurance, you will always have the option to include personal liability insurance. It's important to make sure you buy the right level of coverage.