November is upon us and we all know what that means. The steady stream of family gatherings and holiday parties begin now until the clocks hit midnight on December 31st. Whether you are hosting a party during this festive time or just attending, nobody expects the holidays to be perfect. To make sure you’re on-your-game this holiday season, here are four common scenarios that make having umbrella insurance for the holidays essential.
You’re Hosting a Holiday Dinner Party in Your Home
Imagine this: You’re hosting a holiday dinner party for your friends and family. Your family friend Shelly is supposed to arrive early to help you finish cooking. All of a sudden you hear a big scream only to find that Shelly has fallen victim to the black ice on your driveway. Shelly finds out she has a broken hip and needs surgery, and decides to sue you because the accident happened on your property.
Even though you were not present at the time of the accident, you would be held liable because it happened on your property. Umbrella insurance would extend your homeowner’s insurance liability limits to cover these costly medical and legal bills.
You Have a Teenager at Home
Imagine this: You’re hosting a big holiday party and you ask your teenage son to take your car to pick up some last-minute groceries. A few minutes later you get a call from your son, the car slipped on ice and he crashed it into another car and injured the driver. It turns out the driver was a surgeon in Boston, who ends up suing you for his injuries.
Teenagers are at high risk for auto insurance accidents, especially since they are still getting used to driving on the road, let alone during the winter. You never know when a car accident is going to end up incurring more legal and medical costs than expected. Protect yourself against these added costs by having an umbrella policy in place.
You Have That One Friend Who Drinks too Much
Imagine This: You are hosting a small gathering of friends and family. You have that one friend who always gets a little too tipsy, but still decides to drive home. They only live a mile away and sneak off without you realizing. Five minutes later you get a call from an unknown number. Your friend has hit and injured an old man. You are held responsible.
As the host of a private party, you can be held liable for what happens when your guests consume alcohol — even after they leave the party. In the case of a holiday party, Umbrella Insurance covers you when an intoxicated guest leaves your home and injures someone else.
You Have a Pet
Imagine this: You’re hosting an amazing holiday party for your friends and family. While the adults are in the kitchen, you hear a scream. A young boy, the child of one of your friends, scared your dog and the dog bit the child. The child’s parents sue you. You would be responsible for footing the medical and legal bills.
The possibility of your dog biting someone else is a huge liability and could lead to very costly consequences. We would recommend that anyone who has a dog gets an Umbrella Policy in case of an accident.
There are countless situations that could occur during the holidays that would deplete the liability limits on your home or auto insurance policies. The good news is that umbrella insurance can make up the difference. Contact your Cushman Insurance agent today to make sure you’re covered this holiday party season.