| Umbrella insurance is not just for the wealthy. With the common occurrence of lawsuits, it is a must for every home, auto and watercraft owner. As many Americans are finding out, you don't have to be a millionaire to be sued like one. An umbrella Policy can supplement the basic liability coverage provided by your auto, home and boat policies.
If you are involved in a lawsuit, you have the security of an extra $1million to $5 million in liability protection.
How it works
Depending on the type of accident, your homeowners, auto or boat policy liability limits are used up first, then the excess liability policy covers all remaining costs (up to the amounts of coverage you purchased). For example, if your neighbor dove into your swimming pool and broke his neck, your homeowners liability coverage would pay for the first $100,000 in damages. Your excess liability policy would cover the rest (including associated legal fees) up to the one million dollar policy amount that you had purchased.
Most companies require that you carry certain limits on your primary insurance policies (homeowners, auto and boat) in order to receive excess liability coverage. For example, a company may require the following primary liability limits: $100,000 for homeowners, $250,000 per person/$500,000 per accident for auto and $300,000 for boat/yacht coverage.
How much is enough?
Obviously, determining how much coverage is right for you is a personal decision. Much depends on the value of the current assets you have to protect. However, there are also other factors to take into consideration. What will the value of your future assets be? Are you involved in activities that put you at greater risk? Do you have teenagers? Do they drive? Your Petruzelo agent can help you determine the coverage amount that works best for you.
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