Table of Contents
- Protect Yourself in Everyday Situations
- The Risks of Good Intentions: Understanding Volunteer Liability
- Protect Yourself: Consider Comprehensive Coverage for Everyday Risks
Protect Yourself in Everyday Situations
Most responsible individuals take the necessary steps to secure proper insurance coverage for their property, valuables, and vehicles. However, many overlook the importance of protecting themselves and their actions in their everyday, non-professional lives. People often neglect this area of protection because the scenarios where they might need it seem unlikely to occur.
In reality, you may encounter situations where you could be found liable—even when acting with good intentions—more often than you think. Whether you accidentally cause damage to someone’s property, become involved in an incident affecting another person, or face unexpected claims, these risks are real and can lead to significant financial consequences.
By proactively considering this type of insurance, you can safeguard your personal assets and ensure peace of mind in your daily activities.
The Risks of Good Intentions: Understanding Volunteer Liability
Imagine this: Ryan volunteers as a coach for his son’s hockey team and takes on the task of providing orange slices for an upcoming match. Unbeknownst to him, the cutting board he uses to slice the oranges was previously used for raw chicken, leading to contamination. He hands out the contaminated orange slices to the team, and within 24 hours, three children fall ill with salmonella poisoning. Because Ryan prepared and distributed the orange slices, he becomes liable for the incident. Several parents choose to sue him for $1,000,000 in damages. Distraught, Ryan contacts his broker, assuming his standard homeowner policy covers him. He discovers that most homeowners policies exclude volunteer liability, leaving him unprotected.
Good intentions won’t protect you from liability. Ryan, a volunteer coach, unknowingly distributed contaminated orange slices. His homeowner policy excludes volunteer liability, leaving him exposed.
Protect Yourself: Consider Comprehensive Coverage for Everyday Risks
If Ryan had coverage like Unica’s LIVEasy for Homeowners, he would increase his liability coverage to $2,000,000. This coverage would also extend to include personal non-professional actions while volunteering for an organized charitable, religious, or community group.
Even with good intentions, placing yourself in situations where you are liable for others’ safety can threaten your financial well-being. When evaluating your risk protection, talk to your broker to ensure no gaps in coverage from everyday activities!
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