You don’t have to be a millionaire to be sued like one.
That point, more than any other, is all anyone really needs to know when they’re deciding whether to buy excess liability, or as it’s more commonly known, umbrella insurance.
Given how relatively inexpensive an umbrella policy costs – and because, sadly, we live in a lawsuit-happy world – it’s hard to justify not buying it. Yet awareness of umbrella coverage isn’t high, even among well-compensated professionals.
In the simplest terms, an umbrella kicks in when the underlying liability limits of your various other policies have been exhausted.
Umbrella insurance covers not just the policyholder, but also other members of their family or household.
For instance, imagine that your teenage son triggered a six-car accident. Your auto insurance’s property damage coverage isn’t likely to be high enough to pay for all six accident victims’ replacement vehicles. The limit on your auto liability coverage also isn’t going to high enough to pay the medical bills of six people and any of their passengers. An umbrella policy, however, can take care of all of that.
Here are some other examples of events an umbrella policy would cover if your homeowners or auto insurance wasn’t enough:
Umbrella coverage also covers claims often excluded by liability insurance policies. That includes slander, libel, malicious prosecution and other personal liability situations.
The better umbrella policies also cover the cost to defend a lawsuit, even if it is groundless.
Umbrella limits can range from under $1 million to $50 million. While that might sound like a lot to many of us, the fact is that one good-sized judgment can wipe out years of retirement savings, not to mention mountain homes, wine and art collections.
Umbrella coverage, in short, is a small price to pay for the extra peace of mind.
Mike Rosser leads the Private Client Group practice at CCIG. Reach him at Mike.Rosser@thinkccig.com or 720-212-2068.
CCIG is a Denver-area insurance brokerage with the full-service capabilities of a national brokerage. We do more than make sure you have the right policy. We also help you manage your long-term cost of insurance with our risk and claims management expertise and a commitment to service excellence.
The amount of excess liability coverage that is right for you depends upon your personal finances. The more you’re worth, the bigger your umbrella. Need help figuring things out? Don’t hesitate to use the form below to reach out to us!
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