Without Umbrella Coverage, Your Assets Could Be at Risk
To protect your savings, you may want to consider adding umbrella insurance to your homeowners and auto coverage. Also known as excess personal liability insurance, umbrella insurance provides an extra layer of security, which will pay for a judgment or settlement if you’re found responsible and cover your defense expenses even if you’re not at fault.
If you own property or items that could cause an injury to someone else, such as a pool, a dog, a trampoline, a boat, or a snowmobile, you should consider purchasing umbrella insurance. If you’re a landlord, serve on the board of a nonprofit, coach kids’ sports, or volunteer, you could also benefit from the protection offered by an umbrella policy.
Umbrella insurance is typically sold in increments of $1 million. The price of a policy will vary by risk and where you live. Because the insurance only pays if a claim exceeds the liability limit of your homeowners or auto insurance, coverage is generally affordable. You can expect to pay $150 to $300 per year for $1 million of coverage.
For an additional $100 to $200, you can add excess uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage, which covers you if you’re injured by another driver who doesn’t have enough coverage. For about $1,000 a year, you can tack on an endorsement that will provide additional protection from lawsuits if you serve as an officer or volunteer on a nonprofit board.
To keep premiums low, it’s best to purchase your umbrella insurance from the same provider you purchase your home and auto insurance from. It’s common for an insurance carrier to require you to have $250,000 in auto insurance and $300,000 of homeowners coverage before you can purchase an umbrella plan. (Make sure you don’t have a coverage gap between your original and umbrella policies.)
If you would like to learn more about umbrella insurance and other ways you can protect your finances, call us today to schedule an appointment.