| Have you ever been in a situation in which you had to | | | | No tickee, no laundry! |
| have a repair person come to your home and repair | | | | People who get injured often file lawsuits against the |
| something you own? It doesn't really matter what | | | | people they think caused the injury. Personal injury |
| repairs you had to have. In this article, I want you to | | | | attorneys who represent those injured people file |
| think about a topic you've likely NEVER thought about: | | | | lawsuits against anyone and everyone involved, and |
| Your liability for repairmen on your property. Like these | | | | try to prove negligence. |
| examples: | | | | Do you know whether or not you have liability |
| -the woman who cleans your house gets electrocuted | | | | insurance to protect you against liability claims and |
| using your vacuum cleaner. | | | | lawsuits? |
| -The guy cleaning out your roof gutters falls off the | | | | Well, pick up your Homeowners, Renters or |
| ladder and breaks his leg. | | | | Condominium insurance policy and read it. Usually |
| -The dog bites the plumber as he walks to his truck. | | | | liability coverage is found in Section II. You'll usually find |
| -Your interior decorator is injured when she falls on | | | | two coverages here, Personal Liability and Medical |
| your stairs. | | | | Payments to Others. |
| -The electrician gets injured while working on your | | | | The most important things you should learn from this |
| house. | | | | article are these points: |
| -The pizza delivery kid falls in your front yard and | | | | 1. Lawsuits are expensive, and jury awards can run |
| fractures a hip. | | | | into the hundreds of thousands of dollars. |
| The list of accidents could be endless! | | | | 2. The Liability section of your insurance policy |
| Then, let's not leave out other business people that | | | | guarantees you that the insurance company will |
| might come to your property: | | | | provide legal defense for you if you get sued over a |
| -meter reader | | | | liability issue. |
| -mailman | | | | 3. Call your insurance agent and buy liability limits that |
| -package deliveryman | | | | are as high as you can afford. I recommend $500,000 |
| -tax assessor | | | | or higher. |
| All these people coming to your house to perform | | | | 4. Call your insurance agent and buy a Personal Liability |
| some work are known as "business invitees." | | | | Umbrella policy. Probably cost you about $300 per |
| Almost no one I talk to ever thinks about this, but I | | | | year, but worth every penny. It will provide you with |
| handle claims like these examples all the time. | | | | limits up to $1 million. |
| So, why should you care about these people? | | | | 5. If and when you get sued, and the insurance |
| Because if they are on your property, and they get | | | | company provides you with legal defense, remember |
| injured, YOU MAY BE LIABLE! | | | | that they are defending themselves FIRST. You still |
| My recommendation is that you NEVER hire a | | | | need an attorney to represent YOU. |
| repairman or repair company unless they hand you a | | | | Don't allow yourself to be blind-sided by a lawsuit that |
| copy of their insurance policy declaration sheet before | | | | could cause your financial ruin!! |
| they begin work. | | | | |