How Do Umbrella Policies Work? What Purpose Do They Serve?

Umbrella insurance policies are often called “excess liability policies.” They provide extra coverage for damages and injuries that exceed the limits of your other insurance policies.  

An umbrella policy can act as a safety net in case something goes wrong, and your other insurance policies don’t cover all the costs. For this reason, umbrella insurance can be a valuable addition to your protection plan.  (Especially if you have personal assets you’d like to protect.)  

The amount of extra liability coverage you need depends on your situation.   Experts recommend having at least $1 million in umbrella coverage. This will protect against most risks, including things like lawsuits and medical expenses.  The cost of an umbrella policy is usually less than the amount your attorney charges for one hour of service.  

Umbrella insurance serves three basic purposes:

  •         Provides extra limits over those contained in the primary coverage.
  •         Pays for certain types of losses that aren’t covered by the underlying policies.
  •          Drops down to provide coverage when the liability limit in a primary policy has been reduced or exhausted by claim payments.

Check with your insurance agent to add this to your protection plan today!  You have worked hard for the things you have.  Do you want to lose them over a liability claim?