Business Insurance

What is Umbrella Insurance?

Umbrella insurance is a form of liability insurance that will supplement your basic liability policies, such as your auto, home or renters insurance. An umbrella liability policy covers a much higher limit and goes above and beyond claims directly relating to your home and auto.

What Does Umbrella Insurance Cover?
An umbrella policy provides additional coverage or “excess liability” above the limits of your basic policies. It can protect you from bodily injury liability claims and property damage liability claims. Umbrella policies also provide a broader form of coverage and can help cover legal fees, false arrest, libel, and slander.

How Does Umbrella Insurance Work?
Your umbrella insurance can come into play if you are found liable and need to pay damages, or if you are sued and need to pay for your legal defense – even if the result is that you are not found to be responsible. An umbrella policy only pays once your basic liability limits have been exhausted or the claim is excluded from the basic liability coverage. The claim will be made against you, the policyholder, on behalf of the wronged party. Then your insurance company may pay the settlement amount up to the limits of your coverage. If the settlement amount exceeds your coverage limits, you are responsible for paying the remaining amount out of pocket.

How Much Does Umbrella Insurance Cost?
Coverage for an umbrella policy typically starts in the rage of $150-$200 for a $1 million policy. Your premium will increase if you decide to increase coverage. However, getting twice the amount of coverage and increasing the policy limit to $2 million will not usually double the cost of your premium.