Imagine this: it’s your turn to drive your kids carpool group home. The kids start to argue in the back seat and you look around for just one second to quiet them down, and the next thing you know, you’ve re-ended the luxury BMW in front of you. Your auto insurance only covers a portion of the damage to the other car. Can you afford to pay the rest on your own?
When it comes to helping serve our clients, nothing is more important to Morse than making sure you are fully covered, no matter what happens. One of the best ways to do this is by purchasing an umbrella insurance policy. While you may think you know what this type of insurance is, many people have incorrect assumptions about whether or not they can afford it or if they even need it at all. Luckily, we’re here to clear some things up.
First of all: What Is Umbrella Insurance?
Umbrella insurance exists to help protect you against major lawsuits or claims that go beyond what your homeowners or auto insurance policy can cover. In other words, it’s extra coverage that protects you if you exceed the amount of liability coverage allowed under your regular insurance policy. Think of the above example where you are responsible for what could be tens of thousands of dollars of auto repairs. While your auto insurance will provide a certain amount of coverage, your umbrella policy will kick in if your expenses are more than your regular insurance policy will cover.
Some Common Misconceptions about Umbrella Insurance:
1) Umbrella insurance is very expensive.
Umbrella insurance is actually one of the most cost-effective insurance policies available. For $3-$6 a week or around $175 a year (about the cost of one latte per week … and we know you drink more coffee than that!) you can purchase $1 million worth of personal liability protection. We know, it’s amazing.
2) If I have set up my insurance policies correctly, I don’t need an umbrella insurance policy.
In today’s litigious society, you just never know what’s going to happen. And while you would hope to be protected from a lawsuit in the event that someone is injured either on your property or while you are driving your car, having an umbrella insurance policy gives you assurance that you will be.
Here are a few more things you need to know about umbrella insurance:
If you own a trampoline, pool, or even a swing set, you should definitely consider purchasing an umbrella insurance policy to cover you in case anyone is ever injured on your property. Medical bills for these types of injuries can be expensive, and in some cases, your homeowners insurance policy will not be adequate to cover them.
Having pets is another great reason to consider and umbrella policy. Did you know that in 2015, there were over 4.5 million incidents of dog bites in the US alone? Umbrella insurance can help you by covering medical costs or even legal fees if your dog were ever to bite someone.
Life is full of surprises, and while we wish they could all be happy ones, some are less than pleasant. Luckily, that’s what Morse is here for. Our job is to make sure your covered, no matter what happens.
Have more questions? Give us a call at 508-238-0056 or visit our website today at morseins.com.