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Helpful
Hints For Friends And Clients
Know
Your Liquor Liability Exposures
The
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that nearly 13,000
people per year (about 35 per day) are killed in alcohol-impaired driving
crashes.
Many of these tragic accidents happen after an inebriated person
leaves a party. Did you know that
the host of the party can be held liable for injuries and deaths?
Host liquor liability may be covered under your homeowners insurance
policy if you, as the host, are held legally responsible for such a terrible
accident.
Here are some tips to
consider if you occasionally host social events involving alcohol:
Limit the amount of alcohol at your event.
If
alcohol is served at your party, make sure there is plenty of food.
Eating slows down alcohol absorption.
Do not “push” alcohol on your guests.
Encourage designated drivers and provide nonalcoholic drinks for these guests.
Look for signs of intoxication. An
intoxicated person often has trouble walking or has slurred or loud speech.
This is not, however, a foolproof method of determining whether someone
is intoxicated.
Consider hiring trained bartenders.
These individuals are trained to recognize and deal with intoxication.
Using professional bartenders can significantly reduce the risk and may
help in defending a claim should there be one.
Surveys of youth indicate that the most common source of alcohol is the young
person’s home. Thus, closely
monitor any social event your child hosts to make sure there is no drinking
allowed, particularly underage drinking.
Do not allow an intoxicated guest to drive away from the event.
Offer to drive them home or provide a free cab ride.
Following these tips can greatly reduce or eliminate your host liquor
liability exposure. Please contact our agency to review your coverage before you
host your next party where alcohol may be served.
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Key
reasons to increase auto or home liability insurance limits.
·
High
liability insurance limits are part of smart financial planning.
They preserve your assets for retirement – if you are
ever held financially liable for a serious injury or property
damage.
·
Inflation
impacts the cost of medical services and property repairs.
For better protection in these inflationary times,
increase your liability limits.
Auto
liability limits.
Car
accidents are stressful enough.
To avoid additional post-accident stress, protect
yourself now by increasing your auto liability limits.
Higher
limits cost far less than you might think.
For instance, doubling or tripling your auto liability
coverage doesn’t cost anywhere near double or triple your
policy premium. The
cost is equal to only a few tankfuls of gas.
·
When
you have young family members at home, driving cars that you
own, it’s a wise precaution to increase your auto liability
limits.
·
If
you use your car in volunteer work and are involved in an
accident, your insurance may need to cover you and the volunteer
organization, so carry high enough liability limits for both.
·
If
you hit an expensive car, cause a chain reaction pile up, or
damage other valuable property, your current property damage
liability may not be enough to pay for it all.
Trade in: Increase your physical damage deductibles.
Invest the resulting savings (plus a bit more) in higher
liability limits.
Homeowners
liability limits.
·
If
a guest or a delivery person is hurt on your property due to
your negligence, you could be sued for any damages that result.
·
Homeowners
liability protection applies even when you travel.
It isn’t just limited to your premises.
It follows you and your family around – almost
anywhere.
·
If
you own a swimming pool, trampoline, small boat, golf cart, or
even a dog, higher limits or an umbrella policy are imperative.
·
Trade
in: Increase your HO deductible.
Invest the savings in higher personal liability limits.
Umbrella
Liability
·
A
personal umbrella adds at least $1,000,000 of protection over
and above your current auto and HO liability.
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Insurance
Matters
(NAPS)—Understanding
insurance can often be like trying to learn a foreign language. Many
find it confusing and intimidating.
Fortunately,
there’s help. Here is a quick reference designed to help you
understand some of the most common kinds of coverages. The reference was
put together by The Progressive Group of Insurance Companies.
Liability
covers bodily injury and property damage (BI/PD). This covers your legal
liability, up to the dollar limits you select, for damages caused to
others in a covered vehicle accident. In most states today, liability
insurance is mandatory.
Under
BI/PD, your insurance company pays for damages to an injured person and
for property damage that you are legally obligated to pay as a result of
an accident. If your policy covers you in the event you’re sued after
an accident, your insurance company will pay for a lawyer to defend you.
Liability
limits generally appear as three numbers, for example, 500/500/100. The
first number refers to the maximum amount, in thousands, that your
insurance company is obligated to pay for bodily injury per person. The
second number is the maximum that would be paid out for bodily injury
per claim and the third number represents the maximum amount your
insurance company is obligated to pay for property damage you cause.
Collision.
When you buy collision coverage, your insurance company pays for damages
if your vehicle collides with another vehicle or object. Collision
coverage involves a deductible amount you select when you purchase your
policy. This amount is what you are required to pay before your
insurance company starts picking up the tab. Remember, the deductible
amount is the amount you need to pay in the event of a claim.
Comprehensive
covers damage caused by events other than a car collision—such as
fire, theft, vandalism, hail or flood. It also covers damage caused by
your vehicle colliding with an animal. And if your car is stolen, it
will cover the cost of a rental, subject to a daily limit. Like
collision coverage, a deductible usually applies.
Medical Coverage.
Depending on the state in which you live, you may have available to you
Medical Payments coverage or Personal Injury Protection (PIP) coverage.
While these both work differently, they provide coverage for medical
care provided to you as a result of a car accident.