Personal umbrella policies also called excess liability policies are designed to protect your net worth, assets and future earnings from liability judgments. Here is how they work:
Homeowners, boat, RV and auto policies provide liability coverage called primary coverage because it starts from dollar one. If you usually only buy up to $500,000.00 of liability coverage on these policies, personal umbrella policies provide excess liability coverage over these primary policies in increments of $1,000,000.00. They also provide defense costs until the limit is exhausted by damages. Umbrella policies may provide policies that primary policies do not like protection from slander, libel or driving your car in other countries.
One good reason why many should consider buying umbrella policies is that our legislator has increased the liability cap on wrongful death claims from $150,000.00 to $500,000.00 in the last few years. The statute also permits up to $75,000.00 impunity damage on top of the $500,000.00. This $575,000.00 limit exceeds the coverage of almost every auto, home or boat policy in Maine. And that doesn’t count other people who might have been injured or the cost to repair vehicles or other property.
So you can see how umbrella policies offer important protection in today’s uncertain world. They are also surprisingly affordable: often less then $200.00 per year. You can buy limits up to $ 5 million a year and even higher. These policies are individually under written, not everyone who applies will qualify.
Remember you don’t have to be a millionaire to be sued like one. Ask us for an umbrella quote today.
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When it comes to protecting your life, your belongings, and your family, you will need to choose a variety of insurance policies. Without these coverages, you could face a great financial burden that you may not be able to overcome. In addition, if something were to happen to you, your family could deal with significant financial repercussions that could affect the rest of their lives. In order to make sure you and your family are properly covered, you will need to make sure you have the right personal insurance coverage.
However, insurance is not easy to understand. You most likely have more than a few questions. While all of your questions cannot be dealt with here, you will find the answers, in plain terms to the top four questions. This will help you get started on the path to thoroughly understanding personal insurance and what coverage needs you have.
1. What is personal insurance? This refers specifically to the groups of policies you can purchase on your own. These policies are purchased for you and your family by yourself, and they are not tied to your workplace. They do not include any type of commercial coverages either.
2. What types of policies are available? There are, in fact, a number of policies from which you can choose, including life insurance, health coverage, auto insurance, and homeowner’s policies. While these may be easy to understand to some, others may find them confusing, here is a basic definition of each.
Life insurance is the type of policy that will pay a set amount of money upon the event of the policyholder’s death. The amount of life insurance can be chosen by the purchaser, but generally, enough should be taken out to cover funeral costs and medical bills. Often, people choose to take out enough insurance to cover expenses and bills that they may leave behind so that the costs will not be a burden on surviving family.
Health policies, either for an individual or for the whole family, will pay for medical bills that accrue due to accidents or illness. These insurance policies are subject to a deductible that must be paid by the policyholder before the policy will begin paying on the medical bills. There are a number of different options to truly customize medical policies.
Auto insurance is not just important for a vehicle owner; it is also required by law. In order to drive your vehicle, your state will require a minimum amount of coverage. Otherwise, you can choose policies that will cover damage to your vehicle from collisions, from theft or vandalism, and even from fire.
Homeowner’s insurance is a way to protect your house and your personal belongings. This type of policy will make sure you can pay for repairs if your home is damaged and pay for replacement if you experience a total loss.
3. How much will I expect to pay for insurance? The premiums of each of your policies can vary greatly, depending upon a number of factors. The major factor in premium cost will be exactly how much insurance you take out. Additionally, other factors that can affect the insurance can be specific to its type. For example, auto insurance can be affected by your own driving record.
4. How can I save money on premiums? There are a number of things you can do to save money. The most obvious is to raise the deductible amount on your policies. However, by doing this, you could face financial distress when you have to make a claim.
Other things you can do include making sure all of your personal insurance policies are with the same company. Many insurance companies will give a discount when you use them for all of your policies. You can make safety changes to your home to receive discounts. For auto policies, you can take a driver’s safety course.
When it comes to protecting yourself and your belongings, you need to make sure you have the proper personal insurance coverage. This holds especially true if you have a family. With the above answers to the most common questions, you will be well on your way to choosing the right insurance for your needs.
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Personal insurance is one of the broadest categories of insurance on the market. The term itself is somewhat vague, although you will frequently see it as a menu option on insurance company main pages. Essentially, personal insurance encompasses all the policies on the market that do not fall into the category of business or commercial insurance.
As such, a personal insurance policy is something that you take out yourself. It can be an individual health policy, a homeowners’ policy, or another form of special insurance that benefits you. Without another party involved, personal insurance gives you complete control over your protection against various risks in your life.
Buying personal insurance policies also allows you to pursue niche insurance options. You can get insurance for participation in various recreational sports or for an international vacation. There are almost no limits to the customization options available to you.
Personal insurance is available from both mainline and specialty insurance providers. Depending on the kind of personal insurance you are looking to purchase, you may be able to save by pursuing policies with niche providers. Don’t be afraid to mix and match coverage plans, either, to ensure that you have a complete insurance bundle that lets you sleep peacefully at night.
Information Needed For A Personal Insurance Quote
To get a personal insurance quote, you need to be aware of your personal needs. You should be prepared to give information about yourself and your health. Lifestyle questions may also come into play, especially for sports or adventure insurance policies. Your claims history on other policies may also be required for property and umbrella personal insurance policies.
If you are purchasing personal health insurance policies, you should be prepared to submit to a physical. You may also have to declare your medical history or provide medical records to the assessing agent.
Common Personal Insurance Policy Features
Personal insurance policies may cover a variety of different lifestyle areas, but they do share a few common features. Some of the most common personal insurance policy features are.
- Personal liability coverage. This coverage protects you in the event that you are held liable for bodily injury or property damage.
- Medical payments. Whether you invite over guests who are injured in your home or you incur injuries during a covered activity, your personal insurance policy can provide funds for medical expenses.
- Uninsured persons coverage. If the other party in an accident carries no insurance, your personal insurance policy may have the coverage to handle the bills.
- Roadside assistance packages. Whether you are in your car, a recreational vehicle, or a boat, roadside and remote assistance is a common feature on your personal insurance policy.
- Alternative accommodation coverage. If damage makes your primary residence uninhabitable, alternative accommodation coverage in your personal property insurance policy will ensure you can afford a roof over your head.
Personal Insurance Discounts Available
Finding discounts on personal insurance policies can be much easier than finding discounts on other forms of insurance. This is due in large part to the nature of the policies. Personal insurance plans are some of the most easily combined policies, allowing personal insurance policy holders the most opportunities for discounts due to combined coverages with one insurance provider.
Your personal insurance policy may also provide discounts for documentation of appropriate safety protocols. Whether your policy calls for alarm systems, special licensing, or safety course certification, performing the appropriate action can earn some significant discounts.
Finally, depending on your personal and professional association memberships, you may be eligible for in-group savings on personal insurance policies. Check the fine print and don’t be afraid to ask quoting agents for discounts to be sure you are getting all the personal insurance discounts you qualify to receive.
Personal Insurance Exclusions To Note
Most personal insurance policies contain exemptions and exclusions. The leading personal insurance exemptions are for injuries or liabilities incurred while committing a crime, fraud attempts, and acts of war. Any one of these items or a combination of the items may disqualify you from receiving benefits.
Specific exclusions may also be embedded in niche policies. Before paying your premiums for those personal insurance policies, be sure you understand the ins and outs of your coverage.







