Do I Need Umbrella Coverage?

By Hometown Insurance

As part of Hometown’s ongoing commitment to helping you prepare for the future, we have been distributing information about umbrella insurance coverage. Our agents get many questions from insureds asking if a liability or umbrella policy makes sense for them. For many, yes, it does…no one expects their plans to be interrupted by major occurrences. We want to share a real life example of how a stand-alone umbrella policy covers your assets. This highlights the importance of having adequate insurance coverage to be prepared for life events.

The Dane family’s annual holiday party was in full-swing. Neighbors, colleagues and dear family friends gathered together to toast the season. Ian Dane, 19, and his best childhood friends, Brendan and Tyler, both 20, were home from school and decided to make the holidays even happier by imbibing.

They blended into the crowd and no one noticed as they made their exit to head to a friend’s house.

Even though the men were legally drunk, Ian gave Brendan his car keys because, in their impaired state, they rationalized that Brendan should drive since he had been drinking less.

On the short drive, Brendan misjudged a bend in the road and slid into a street light at full speed.

All of the young men sustained serious injuries, including head injuries, lung collapse, broken ribs and multiple major fractures. In addition to a hospital stay, their recovery would take months of physical and cognitive therapy.

After Ian’s parent’s auto liability limits were exhausted, their standalone personal umbrella policy responded to cover their care. The policy is also covering defense costs for the family in ongoing litigation.

Claim: $825,000

Story source: Personal Umbrella

The above story highlights a circumstance that could impact your financial stability and long term health if you do not have adequate coverage. The benefits of a liability policy or umbrella policy are many and can make a true difference for your family’s future.

For more information regarding umbrella coverage, contact your Hometown Insurance Independent Insurance agent to review your insurance and inquire about group discounts for Firefighters, EMTs and other community helpers by calling 1-800-568-SAVE (7283) or email us at service@hometowninsurance.com