Tag Archives: Personal Liability

Nov 23 2013
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Personal Insurance, Personal Risk Management

Traveling? Renting a Car? Should You Buy the Insurance? So Many Questions!

Car_Rental_Insurance_JusRenting a car can be a confusing process. The additional fees and services offered by car rental companies are often tacked on the bill followed by paragraphs of legalese. Supplemental liability insurance is one of these extra fees. While the name implies importance, it may be an unnecessary fee when renting a car. To determine whether you need supplemental liability insurance on your next car rental, start by assessing your current coverage.

What is Supplemental Liability Insurance (SLP)? 

Most states require that rental car companies provide drivers with minimum levels of liability insurance during the rental period. Supplemental insurance provides additional coverage above the state minimums, up to $1 million in liability protection.

For some drivers, this additional coverage is a great deal that can cover additional costs associated with an accident. For other drivers, this coverage is already included in other areas and duplicating this service through the rental company is a waste of money.

Using a Credit Card? 

Many credit card companies offer bonuses that customers are not using. Charge backs and reward points are often scrutinized and compared when searching for a new credit card but many cards also offer secondary rental insurance which consumers fail to use.

The best way to determine whether your credit cards offer rental insurance is to read the terms of use or speak to customer service. Determine how long after an accident you have to file the claim. Most credit card companies offer drivers a 45 day window. If your credit card offers SLP, buying coverage from the rental car company is unnecessary.

Did You Call Your Insurer? 

Most drivers do not need supplemental liability insurance for the simple reason that they already have coverage under their current auto insurance. In addition to covering the driver while driving other people’s cars, rental cars are covered by basic auto insurance for the same deductible.

Don’t Want to File a Claim?

Even drivers who have primary automobile insurance may opt to use SLP to prevent their insurance rates from rising in the event of a rental car accident. Rental cars are notorious for being driven recklessly and drivers with a lead foot or those that are particularly harsh on rentals may not want rising rates over a couple of scratches. In this case, SLP is a good way to prevent extravagant bills for car damage without effecting insurance rates.

Don’t Own a Car? 

While insured drivers may already carry supplemental liability insurance, drivers who do not own a car may find value in getting additional coverage during their rental period. Without the secondary coverage available from auto insurance, customers with expensive rental cars or valuable assets can protect their money by accepting the nominal daily charge for supplemental liability insurance.

If you’re a non-car owner that travels frequently, the fees associated with SLP can add up fast. Consider contacting an auto insurance company to ask about liability coverage for drivers who do not own a car. Most policies cost less than $300 a year and will provide adequate coverage in case of accident without the additional cost of supplemental liability insurance.

Supplemental liability insurance may not be a great deal, but for drivers with the right prerequisites, it can be a valuable addition to rental insurance. Being underinsured in an accident can have serious consequences. Make sure you understand your coverage before turning down supplemental insurance while renting a car.

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Aug 03 2013
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Liability, Personal Insurance, Personal Risk Management

Dog Bite Liability

According to the CDC, approximately 4.7 million people are bitten by dogs every year, and around 17 percent of those victims require medical care. Sadly, between 10 and 20 of these incidents eventually result in death.

To curb dog bites, some communities around the United States have banned certain breeds that are perceived to be more dangerous or have a track record of violence. These laws most commonly apply to pit bulls and rottweilers.

Homeowners and renters insurance policies typically cover dog bites. However, if you own a breed that has been historically violent, you may have to pay an increased premium (even if your dog has not displayed any violent behavior). If your dog has passed obedience school tests, you may qualify for a premium discount.

It is difficult to determine how a dog’s breed will predict its disposition, much like it is hard to predict how nature versus nurture plays a role in the development of a child. Watch your dog’s behavior closely and contact your veterinarian if your dog exhibits any of the following behaviors: growling, snapping, biting family members, aggression towards strangers or showing signs of extreme fear. Your vet can refer you to a veterinary behavior specialist. While the dog is going through treatment, be extra cautious while in public and consider placing a basket muzzle over the dog’s mouth.

No dog breed is guaranteed to be attack-or bite-free. Let Texas Associates Insurors educate you on your insurance needs to protect you from a costly dog bite lawsuit.

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Jun 01 2013
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Liability, Personal Insurance, Personal Risk Management

Is Your Pooch Considered Dangerous?

Accidents involving dog bites cost the insurance industry over $350 million per year and are now the largest cause of Homeowners Insurance claims in the U.S. As a result, many breeds are considered “uninsurable” or may require heightened premiums.

Notoriously Dangerous Breeds

The following dog pedigrees are considered dangerous:

  • Pit Bull
  • Rottweiler
  • German Shepherd
  • Husky
  • Alaskan Malamute
  • Wolf-dog Hybrid
  • Chow Chow
  • Doberman
  • Saint Bernard
  • Great Dane
  • Doberman Pinscher
  • Siberian Husky
  • Akita
  • American Staffordshire Terrier
  • Boxer
  • Perro de Presa Canario

Owner Responsibilities

It is difficult to determine how a dog’s breed will predict its disposition, much like it is hard to predict how nature versus nurture plays a role in the development of a child.

To minimize the risk that your dog will display aggressive behavior towards other dogs or humans, you must be a responsible pet owner and do the following:

  • Restrain your dog with a strong leash when in public or fenced in while in the yard. The fence should be at least six to eight-feet tall, depending on your dog’s size.
  • Socialize your dog as a puppy with other dogs and people. Take him/her to puppy classes starting at a young age, and praise your dog when he/she behaves well with others.
  • Spay or neuter your dog, as 80 percent of all fatal attacks are caused by non-neutered male dogs. Fixing a dog alters its territorial instincts and aggression.
  • Train the dog not to bite your hands, furniture, etc. If your dog starts to growl or chew on something, clap your hands loudly to distract him/her and then provide a toy for the dog to play with. Praise the dog when he/she chews on toys only.
  • Give your dog lots of positive attention.
  • Properly identify your dog with tags and a microchip.

Watch your dog’s behavior closely and contact your veterinarian if he/she exhibits any of the following behaviors: growling, snapping, biting family members, being aggressive towards strangers or showing signs of extreme fear. Your vet can refer you to a veterinary behavior specialist. While the dog is going through treatment, be extra cautious while in public and consider placing a basket muzzle over the dog’s mouth.

Insurance can usually be obtained for most dogs; however, there are some limitations. If you own a breed that has been historically violent, you may have to pay an increased premium (even if your dog has not displayed any violent behavior). If your dog has passed obedience school tests, you may qualify for a premium discount.

Here are the Facts:

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), approximately 4.7 million people are bitten by dogs annually, and around 17 percent of those victims need medical care. There are also 10 to 20 people who do not survive the attack. The CDC claims that dog bites are an “epidemic” in America.

To curb dog bites, some communities around the U.S. have banned certain dogs as pets, as they are perceived to be more dangerous or a have track record of violence. This specifically applies to Pit Bulls and Rottweilers.

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Apr 08 2013
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Business Insurance, Risk Management

Does My Policy Cover Injured Volunteers?

Non-Profits thrive off of the hard work of volunteers; donations, tangible gifts, and the irreplaceable gift of time. While the question posed below specifically comes from a non-profit organization, there are issues to be considered when your employees do volunteer work on your behalf or when you yourself are the volunteer.

Question:

Our nonprofit organization depends heavily on the services provided by volunteers. Do any of our insurance policies cover medical expenses if a volunteer is injured on the job? Will our liability policies defend us if a volunteer sues the organization because of the injury? Is the organization covered if we get sued for an accident caused by the volunteer?

Answer:

These are excellent questions. Board members and staff of nonprofit organizations are right to be concerned about taking care of their volunteers and protecting the organization from liability that might arise out of the services provided by the volunteers. We are privileged to serve several organizations such as yours and this question comes up frequently.

Injuries to Volunteers

If a volunteer is injured while providing services for your organization, the first thing you need to know is that your workers’ compensation policy won’t provide benefits. Texas law doesn’t permit workers’ comp coverage on volunteers, other than those who work for government and emergency service organizations.

If a volunteer is injured while providing services at your location, your commercial general liability policy provides some coverage for his or her medical bills. The limit of coverage is very small – typically only $5,000. If the volunteer believes the organization or one of its employees is legally responsible for the injury, your insurance company will investigate the accident and offer payment if it agrees, or defend you and pay any resulting judgment if the volunteer sues, subject to the liability coverage limit.

If a volunteer is injured in an automobile accident while using a vehicle owned or leased by your organization, your business auto policy provides some coverage for medical bills and other benefits if you have purchased Medical Payments, Personal Injury Protection and/or Uninsured Motorists coverages, up to the limits purchased for those coverages. If the volunteer believes the organization or one of its employees is legally responsible for the injury, your auto insurance company will investigate the accident and offer payment if it agrees, or defend you and pay any resulting judgment if the volunteer sues, subject to the liability coverage limit.

If a volunteer is injured in an automobile accident while using his or her own vehicle, your policies won’t provide any coverage for medical bills. It might be a good idea to inform your volunteers of this fact and encourage them to review their own auto insurance policies with their agents to be sure they are adequately covered.

As you see from the information provided so far, covering medical bills incurred by volunteers while working for your organization is a hit-or-miss proposition. The best way to provide medical and other benefits to your volunteers is to purchase a special policy known as “Volunteer Accident Insurance.” This type of policy typically provides a wide range of benefits, including accidental death, accidental dismemberment, accident medical expense and occupational disability payments. High limits of coverage are available from most insurance companies offering this type of policy. Ask your agent for more information and a proposal.

Injuries to Others Caused by Volunteers

Your general and automobile liability policies cover the organization if a volunteer injures someone or damages property of others while working for you. If the accident involves an automobile owned by the volunteer, special coverage is needed, so ask your agent to be sure you have the appropriate coverage.

Your policies may or may not provide the same liability protection for the volunteer should they be sued individually for injury or damage caused by the volunteer. These policies usually provide the coverage unless the accident involves the volunteer’s own vehicle. Of course the volunteer should be able to rely on his or her own auto liability policy for this protection. It might be a good idea to encourage volunteers to review their own auto insurance policies with their agents to be sure they are adequately covered, especially if they are using their vehicles to transport clients of your organization. Special coverage is available to cover volunteers on your auto liability policy – excess over their own policies or primary if their policies don’t provide coverage for some reason.

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Apr 04 2013
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Personal Insurance, Personal Risk Management

5 Ways to Spring Clean Your Insurance Policy

With Spring finally in the air, it’s only natural to take a look around you and look for areas to make a fresh start in. Your insurance policy is one area you should regularly tend to, closely monitoring it and making sure you have the right protection at all times whether in business or in the home.

Here are 5 ways you can spring-clean your insurance policy:

Perils

Many buildings insurance policies, such as home insurance, are comprehensive policies – which covers you in almost any eventuality. If you think your comprehensive insurance policy may be too much, you could seek to purchase a specified peril policy, ensuring you are only protected against perils that apply directly to you.

People

If you have had people named on an insurance policy – such as auto insurance or health care insurance, it is a good idea to regularly revise this coverage. There may come a time this named party purchases their own insurance, in which case you don’t need to include them in your policy.

Coverage

In some cases, purchasing individual coverage for you and an other person may not be the most efficient approach. It may be beneficial to purchase a joint life insurance policy for you and your spouse for example.

Cost

If your policy is renewed annually, it’s worth taking a look over it before you pay. Look at the details contained within the policy and assess whether any of your circumstances have changed, are you entitled to any gratuities and discuss with your insurance advisor whether your costs can come down.

Value

While you are looking at your costs, you may also look at the values you have your property insured at. Look to see how depreciation of equipment for example may affect your premium or if the estimated re-build cost of your building may have changed and adjust your coverage accordingly.

Taking the time to Spring-clean your insurance policy cannot only potentially save you money, but you may also streamline and improve the protection you have.

Do you need help Spring-Cleaning your policy? Click here for advice from an insurance expert

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Feb 27 2013
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Liability, Personal Insurance, Personal Risk Management

Grand Kids and ATV’s

Spring is almost here and that means it’s “back to normal” for our Texas outdoor activities. We received a question from an insured that served as a reminder: our fun times can be risky times!

The question was: Am I liable if my grandkids and their friends are injured while riding our ATV’s (All-Terrain Vehicles) on our property?

The answer: You can be. It’s important to carry on-premises and off-premises liability if an accident occurs using your ATVs. Not all insurance carriers will respond the same in every circumstance, so it’s important that you check with your advisor to make sure your exposure in this area is covered under your insurance policies.

Also, some safety guidelines to consider while using your ATV’s:

  • Attend ATV instruction courses to learn more about operating your vehicle.
  • Read the owner’s manual carefully before attempting to ride, and assure that all riders understand how to remain safe.
  • Never allow others to ride on an ATV with you.
  • Do not carry attachments or loads unless you are trained on how to effectively drive the vehicle while carrying cargo.
  • Never operate an ATV while under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol.
  • Do not ride on a public road or at night when motorists cannot see you as well.
  • Wear a helmet that is designed specifically for riding an ATV. Helmets designed for cycling, skateboarding or rollerblading will not provide the necessary protection from falls because they cannot absorb enough energy upon impact when you hit the ground. A proper helmet should also resist blows from sharp objects, stay in place as you ride and should provide minimal peripheral vision. Also wear the appropriate eye protection if your helmet does not have a face shield.
  • Wear gloves to improve your grip on the controls and reduce the pressure from holding onto the handle bars.
  • Wear boots to protect your feet and legs from debris and to maintain your footing. This will also help maintain your balance and control.
  • Wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants to protect your skin from cuts and scrapes.
  • Scan ahead of you to identify hazards such as rocks, fallen branches, fences, wires and unstable surfaces.
  • Be on guard for unexpected hazards such as wildlife and other riders.
  • Drive at a moderate speed while taking weather conditions and the terrain into account.
  • Shift your weight when making turns and riding up and down hills.

We want you to be safe on and off the road. Contact us today to learn about all the ways we help you to protect what matters most.

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