Summertime Blues

"There ain't no cure for the summertime blues."  Blues?  It's the first day of summer and that means fun.  Why all this talk about summertime blues?  It is a very simple equation. Fun +  x = liability (where x = just about anything!)  Unfortunately, your "fun" residence abounds with chances for injuries and resulting liabilities to others. Let's demonstrate the truth of this hypothesis:   fun + x = liability.

Your backyard pool is loads of fun.  Add your neighbor kids to the mix and you have the potential of someone getting hurt.  Result?  Liability due to failure to take reasonable precautions to prevent children from swimming unsupervised..

You are hosting a fun summer soiree with a great selection of adult beverages.  On his way home from the party, one of your guests is involved in a serious automobile accident. Outcome?  You get sued under the doctrine of social host liquor liability.

Your kids' trampoline is the hit of the neighborhood.   Your backyard is the place for fun until a neighbor's child gets injured when he bounces off the trampoline platform onto the ground.  Consequence?  Suit papers alleging inadequate supervision on your part.

The backyard grill at your fun-filled Fourth of July party, goes haywire, badly burning a 12 year old.  The end result could be legal action against you for your failure to maintain the grill in good working order.

The list of potential summertime blues is an endless as the fun!  So what's a fun-loving homeowner to do?  Is there a cure for the summertime blues?

Prevention is the best cure.  Just as you put on sunscreen to protect your skin from the elements, make sure that all of your "fun" attractions are installed correctly, maintained in good working order and adequately supervised at all times.  Talk to your insurance professional about increasing your home insurance policy's liability limits or purchasing an umbrella policy.  Increasing your liability limit to $500,000 is normally less than $30/year. Additionally, an umbrella liability policy can cost as little as $150 a year for $1,000,000 worth of coverage.

Take a few moments out of your summer fun to protect your most valuable assets - your home, your income and your family.  Fun + (x + insurance) = reduced liability and peace of mind.

A Snowman and His Umbrella

Oh! There's no place like home for the holidays....Truer words were never spoken.  At this special time of year, we open our homes to friends and family to celebrate the joy of the season.  Parties, cookie exchanges, neighborhood caroling- the possibilities are endless.   Enter the Insurance Grinch!

Every time we open our door to "friends, family and others", we open the door to a potential lawsuit. Consider these possibilities:

• On his way home from your Holiday Open House, one of your guests is involved in an auto accident with another party.  After your guest fails the sobriety test, it is revealed that you were the host that served him alcohol.  Several weeks later, the injured party serves you with a lawsuit alleging "social host liability".
• The neighbors are caroling door-to-door.  After they serenade you with "Silver and Gold", one of the carolers slips and falls on your steps, resulting in a knee replacement surgery and lost time from work. Weeks later, your neighbor serenades you with a "negligence lawsuit".
• Being the home with the best sled riding hill in the cul-de-sac, the nearby kids love to bring their assortment of sleds and toboggans to your backyard.  Uh-oh!  You guessed it.  One of the kids loses control of his homemade sled and incurs a serious injury.  Ding dong.  Special delivery of a "failure to provide a safe sledding area" lawsuit.
• Finally, it's the night before Christmas and a burglar breaks into your home. You catch the burglar in the act and shoot him with your legally registered firearm.  Now, the burglar sues YOU for shooting him "negligently".  (Folks, I'm not making this stuff up!  Here is the real life story of such a case.)

The good news is that many of these types of lawsuits will be covered by your home or renter's policy. (You do have such a policy, right?)  However, why not supplement your coverage with a personal umbrella liability policy?  For as little as $150 a year, you can purchase a $1,000,000 umbrella policy. That's an added layer of protection for your assets in the event of a catastrophic lawsuit.

Crooner Perry Como sings another line in the song,  "If you wanna be happy in a million ways", - a hint from Perry about securing a personal $1,000,000 umbrella policy? Perhaps.  Sam the Snowman in Rudolph has carried a green umbrella for years.  Another suggestion?  Maybe.  Contact your Trusted Choice agent and discuss an umbrella liability policy today.