What is personal liability insurance?
Personal liability insurance is about financial protection for you and your family. The personal liability coverage within your homeowners policy provides coverage to pay for claims of bodily injury and property damage sustained by others for which you or covered residents of your household are legally responsible.
For example, if someone falls down your stairs, or your child accidentally throws a ball through a neighbor's window, breaking an expensive vase, you may be held legally responsible for the damages caused.
Many homeowners insurance policies provide a minimum of $100,000 in personal liability coverage, meaning the insurance company can pay up to that amount in total to injured persons per occurrence. If you feel you need more protection, higher limits are available. You can also purchase an umbrella policy, which enables you to extend your liability coverage beyond the limits of your primary liability policy.
If you don’t currently have personal liability coverage, contact Travelers Insurance or get a home insurance quote today.
Read transcript
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A white umbrella logo and text on a red background. What is liability coverage? A person types the phrase into a search bar.
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Liability coverage. You might have heard of it, but what is it?
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They click the Search button. An animated home appears in a box.
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You host a gathering at your home. One of your neighbors slips on your driveway after a storm and is injured,
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A person slips and falls. A hand in a cast.
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then sues you for damages.
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A judge bangs a gavel.
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That's an example of what liability coverage is for.
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A woman with a bandage around her head. A check mark in a shield. A stack of dollars.
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It can help protect you from claims and lawsuits, and may cover your defense costs if you or someone in your family accidentally injures another person or damages his or her property.
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A family of people. A car hits a person. A pair of crutches. A car with cracked glass.
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No policy covers all situations.
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A hand writes on paper. A woman.
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Learn more about liability insurance by checking with a Travelers representative. For more answers, go to travelers.com.
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Travelers red umbrella logo. Text, The information in this video is general in nature. Any description of coverage is necessarily simplified. Whether a particular loss is covered depends on the specific facts and the provisions, exclusions, and limits of the actual policy. Nothing in this video alters the terms or conditions of any of our policies. You should read the policy for a complete description of coverage. Coverage options, limits discounts and deductibles are subject to state availability and to individuals meeting our underwriting criteria. Not all features available in all states. Insurance is underwritten by The Travelers Indemnity Company and its property causality affiliates, One Tower Square, Hartford CT. In CA: Home Insurance is underwritten by The Standard Fire Insurance Company, Certificate of Authority #3545, State of Domicile: CT. In TX and WA: Home Insurance is underwritten by Travelers Personal Insurance Company. All underwriting companies listed above are located at One Tower Square, Hartford, CT 06183. Copyright 2022 The Travelers Indemnity Company. All rights reserved. Travelers and the Travelers Umbrella logo are registered trademark of The Indemnity Company in the U.S and other countries.
What does personal liability insurance cover?
Personal liability insurance covers a variety of situations where you may be legally responsible to pay for something that happened to someone else on property that you own. And, in some situations you can be liable for injuries or damages on property that you don’t own. Some examples of common personal liability claims are:
- Medical bills that result from a visitor’s injury at your home.
- Legal expenses resulting from lawsuits that seek to recover damages that are potentially covered by the policy.
- Bodily injury or property damage that results from your negligent acts or omissions.
- Bodily injury or property damage caused by your pets.
Medical payments coverage
Another type of personal liability coverage typically included with your homeowners policy is for medical payments to others. Typically, a homeowners, renters or condo policy provides for the payment of necessary medical expenses for persons who are accidentally injured on your property. This is regardless of whether you are legally responsible.
Typically, medical payments coverage limits start at $1,000 per person. Higher amounts of coverage may also be available depending on the type of coverage you choose.
What is not covered by personal liability insurance?
Your homeowners or renters insurance will cover certain personal liability claims, but there are other claims that may not be covered. A few common examples include:
- Liability that results from a car accident. These claims should be covered by your car insurance.
- Bodily injury or property damage caused intentionally by you or a family member.
- Injuries or damages sustained by you or other covered residents in your home.
- Bodily injury or property damage arising out of any business conducted by you or arising out of your professional activities. Claims that arise while you are engaging in any business-related activities should be covered by a business insurance policy.
Other liability coverage exclusions
A homeowners, renters or condo policy does not cover all situations of bodily injury or property damage for which you or a covered member of your household may be legally responsible. Most policies contain exclusions and exceptions, so it’s important to understand the details of your specific coverage.
To better understand your personal liability coverage and other important insurance topics, talk to your local independent agent or Travelers Insurance representative today.
