Having multiple insurances is normal. You ask why?

Well, the norms are different for every instance, and being covered from all angles makes your life easy. Every insurance policy has different coverage so you might need more than one just in case. Better coverage make sure that you don’t run out of your savings in case a mishap occurs.

So, what is umbrella insurance, and who should have one?

Let’s take a look

What is umbrella insurance?

Imagine your dog damages the property of your neighbor or someone gets sick by eating something you provided them. These angry people sue you for all the damage that your family has done to them be it physical, emotional, or mental. These sums often can’t be covered in policies that cover the damage to your own property. That’s where umbrella insurance comes in.

Umbrella insurance is your go-to policy if any unforeseen events befall you. In case you harm a person, or someone’s property/ possession is damaged because of you then umbrella insurance can help you to pay the bill. If an individual is sued for any kind of damage that goes above and beyond the liability limit of traditional policies, then an umbrella policy comes in handy.

In short, where your other insurance policies fall short, an umbrella policy can surely help you. For example, if you have property insurance, you might still need umbrella insurance. To buy umbrella insurance you need to have other covers and add this coverage to the other policies you hold.

What does umbrella insurance cover and not cover?

Umbrella insurance is there to help you when all your other policies run out of coverage.

Here is all that is covered under this policy:

• Any kind of injury or death of someone who is not part of your family.
• Any sort of property damage that happens because of your family.
• Any kind of defamation or wrong statements that are passed from someone in the family.
• Any damage or injury that your tenant suffers.
• Any invasion of privacy or forceful entry into someone’s premises.

Apart from this, umbrella insurance also covers false arrest, detention, imprisonment, shock, or other such liabilities that are not covered otherwise.

Here are a few things that the umbrella insurance doesn’t cover:

• Any injuries to you or your family.
• Your own property damage.
• Any kind of injuries or mishaps that you are liable for via contracts or business-wise.
• Criminal activities on your part.

You can see a clear distinction between what umbrella insurance covers and what it does not cover. An umbrella policy doesn’t just work in the country where you hold all these properties, it also works when you are traveling abroad.

Do you need umbrella insurance?

Umbrella insurance occupies a bit of a blind spot among people and small businesses. Most people believe that nothing bad will happen to them and if it does, their specific policies will cover them. But this isn’t true. Umbrella insurance should be bought by everyone because the future and circumstances are extremely unpredictable.

Here is a quick checklist of some people who should definitely buy umbrella insurance:

• Have a driver in-house with questionable skills.
• If you are a celebrity.
• Have a profession where you can be sued easily.
• Are involved in sports where injuries are likely to happen.
• Own a property and are a landlord.
• Have a pet.
• Have kids who are prone to getting into trouble.

You should always remember that you must have other liability coverage before you can add umbrella coverage to it. The minimum premium is decided based on these liabilities that are covered under the policies you have taken. More liabilities, the more the premium for umbrella insurance you have to pay.

The cost of umbrella insurance

The cost of your umbrella insurance depends on various factors including but not limited to your residence, net worth, credit score, etc.  Premium amounts are often lower than for other policies. Seeing how cheap it is as compared to other policies, it seems a very rational decision to opt for this policy just to be on the safer side of the fence.

Although umbrella policy is a highly overlooked coverage, it needs to be added to your other insurances to avoid any kind of financial risks in the future. Thus, having one should be on the top of your priority list to avoid running out of your savings in case of a lawsuit. Check in with us on how to get umbrella insurance.