COVID-19 restrictions are continuing to lighten, and the weather is warming up. This means that it is the perfect time to reconnect with all of your friends you haven’t been able to see over the past few years. Backyard barbeques and parties are regular events during the summer season, and it is just as essential to protect yourself from liability as you protect your skin from the beating sun rays.

Picture This…

You’ve decided to throw a barbeque with all your friends in your backyard. You have been preparing all week for your guests, and you finally have everything set up and ready to go. People start to arrive, and everyone is having a great time. One by one, everyone piles out onto the back deck to enjoy the last of the evening sun. Everyone is laughing and having fun, and suddenly the unexpected happens. Your back deck suddenly gives in and collapses, people have dropped to the ground below, and some of your friends have been badly hurt.

That sounds horrible, right? Believe it or not, this is something that happens pretty often.

How To Protect You and Your Loved Ones

In most situations, you can protect yourself and your loved ones from getting hurt on your property by maintaining your home and fixing any issues that may arise. You should do cleaning and general maintenance of your property twice a year to stay on top of any problematic areas. This can include your yard area, structures on your property like decks or sheds, and any other places people may be on your property.

However, it is essential to remember that even with all the care you put into your property, accidents happen, and someone could become extremely injured on your property. In situations like this, you will want to ensure liability protection on your home insurance.

What Exactly is Liability Insurance?

Liability insurance is a type of insurance you can add to your home or condo policy that protects you legally if someone is injured on your property. Whether a friend, family member or stranger gets hurt, if it happens on your property, you could be at risk of being sued if the injury results in an inability to work or a permanent disability. Liability insurance protects you from being sued in these situations, as well as helps provide for the person who was injured.

Here at Harbord – The Home Insurance People, we usually recommend having $2,000,000 in Liability insurance. Depending on the amount of foot traffic at your home or if there is ongoing construction, it might be worthwhile to ask your broker if additional Liability insurance would be right for you.

Voluntary Medical Expenses

It is essential to know that most home insurance companies offer Voluntary Medical Expenses. This may be used when someone gets injured unintentionally on your property, such as tripping on a step and fracturing their arm. As a homeowner with insurance, you can pull money from your Voluntary Medical Expenses to compensate the injured person for any time off or medical expenses. This is beneficial because you can draw money from this expense without the drawn-out aspects of the legal system.

The limit for this expense depends on who your insurance broker is, so be sure to discuss this with them and ask what your Voluntary Medical Expense limit is.

Contact Harbord!

Whether you own your home or condo, having liability insurance is a great way to protect yourself from unforeseen events. Contact one of our brokers today to discuss the best ways to protect you and your family with liability insurance!