What is Personal Umbrella Insurance and 4 Reasons You May Need it!
The fairway is wide open. Just a slight wind at your back with the sun’s warmth on your face. The songbirds provide a soundtrack that can almost make you forget winter exits.
If you love golf, or know someone who does, little is more refreshing than those first few rounds of the season.
As enjoyable as this may sound to a golfer, the game is not without risk. Especially in spring. One of the more unpredictable injuries a person can suffer while being active is an ACL tear.
When you tear your ACL at work, you’ll most likely be entitled to workman’s compensation. But what happens if you tear your ACL while golfing and the course was in good condition?
Will your insurance cover the cost of repair? What if you reach your policy limit? Or exceed the PTO your company provides?
If an injury like this happens while on vacation or traveling for work, do you know what hospitals you’re allowed to be treated in?
Situations like these – and more – are why we recommend people add personal umbrella insurance to their policy.
Personal umbrella insurance can cover gaps in your coverage that you may not even know are there. Here are four reasons you will want to consider adding this coverage.
1: Personal Umbrella Insurance Can Cover What Your Policy Doesn’t
Accidents are unpredictable by nature. If you could plan for them, they probably wouldn’t happen. Or at least, the damage would be minimized.
Consider something as simple as owning a dog. Or being around someone who does. If your dog bites a person, damages another’s property, or injures someone else’s pet, your policy may not cover it.
You would be on your own.
The list of coverage gaps in many insurance policies is long. Especially when you consider the various forms of coverage most people need.
- Health Insurance
- Auto Insurance
- Homeowner’s Insurance
- Business Owner’s Policy
Within every category of insurance, you will find gaps. Personal umbrella insurance will typically be able to cover these.
2: Costs Exceeded Policy Limit can be Covered by Personal Umbrella Insurance
Consider our golfer. She may have torn her ACL making the same movement she had 10,000 times before. But this time, it will be costly.
One hospital estimates that repairing an ACL can cost between $20,000 – $50,000. This doesn’t include any travel costs or time missed from work.
Now, imagine something like this happening on your property. Most insurance policies will be able to cover this cost.
However.
If someone is injured on your property and sues you for time lost from work, that could easily exceed your policy limit.
Inflation has skyrocketed since 2022. Medical costs are not slowing down. If your current policies are not keeping up with inflation, you could be left paying out of pocket for expenses that exceed your policy limit.
This is why people often engage in “Go Fund Me” type campaigns. They had insurance coverage – just not enough.
Personal Umbrella Insurance can cover additional costs and save you from draining your savings or worse.
3: Personal Umbrella Insurance can Cover Injuries Occurred While Traveling
If you work or vacation outside of your policy’s approved networks, you may be uncovered or covered at a reduced rate.
Few domestic insurance policies are accepted internationally. Travel insurance can often help cover these expenses. Personal Umbrella Insurance can often help as well.
It’s bad enough to have a work trip or vacation derailed by an accident or injury. It’s even worse not to have the support you need to remedy the situation.
4: Damage to Rental Property can be Covered by Personal Umbrella Insurance
Have you ever rented a vehicle? If so, you’ve been asked if you want to purchase additional insurance coverage in the case of damage exceeding a certain amount.
Why?
Your auto coverage may have limitations or exclusions that will cause a gap in coverage of rental vehicles.
This same issue may occur with rental properties. Both for vacation and permanent housing. Personal Umbrella Insurance can often be crafted to cover potential gaps in your regular policy. Or if costs incurred exceed your policy limit.
Bonus: You May Need Previous Coverage to Qualify for Personal Umbrella Insurance
If you’re considering adding an umbrella policy to your current coverage, you should know that many companies will require you to carry an insurance policy first.
For example, if you do not have homeowner’s insurance, you may not be eligible for Personal Umbrella Coverage.
Most Umbrella Coverages are designed to kick in to cover gaps or when claims exceed the policy limit. Without a policy in place, neither of these apply.
Don’t make the mistake of thinking you can purchase a Personal Umbrella Policy and forgo traditional insurance. Personal Umbrella Insurance is typically designed to supplement existing coverage.
Don’t Delay, Get the Coverage You Need Today!
Life is unpredictable. A day on the golf course should be enjoyed worry-free. Traveling for work or leisure ought to inspire, not cause anxiety.
The right insurance coverage can give you the confidence you need to enjoy the life you deserve to live. You may not know what coverages you need to have the peace you crave.
That’s ok. We do.
JFA Insurance Brokerage and Associates has been helping people – just like you – obtain the insurance coverage you need to engage the opportunities you’ve earned.
With over 30 years of experience, our team of friendly experts has logged enough miles with enough people to guide you to the perfect coverages for your situation.
Reach out today for a free quote!