Umbrellas Aren't Just For Rainy Weather

Many of you may have an umbrella policy on top of your traditional insurance policies.  Ever wondered why or if people ever file claims under this type of policy?  The answer is yes, they do, and here are some examples:

• Insured driver rear ended a vehicle stopped to make a left turn, forcing it into an oncoming lane as 16 motorcycles were going past. 3 motorcycles were caught up into accident, injuring 4 motorcyclists and two occupants of the claimant’s auto.


• Claimant is alleging defamation, civil conspiracy, and tortuous interference with contract, intentional infliction of emotional distress, abuse of process and invasion of privacy against the insured.

• Claimant left insured’s premises after consuming alcohol, and was subsequently involved in an auto accident. Claimant sued insured on theory of Host Liquor Liability.

• Insured boat driver and named insured are facing two wrongful death claims and a bodily injury claim as the result of a boating accident. The driver of the insured’s boat whipped the victims, ages 12, 12, 9 and 7, into a raft constructed of barrels supporting a wooden deck.

• Our insured’s son was driving a non-owned vehicle, which was uninsured, when he was involved in this loss. The claimant was sitting on the truck on the outside of the vehicle while it was in motion. Claimant slipped and fell, striking her head on the pavement after suffering a severe head injury.

• Injury to claimant while attending insured’s birthday party. Claimant was shot in the eye with a paintball.

• Insured was walking his dog on a leash. Stopped to talk to neighbor and both insured’s dog and neighbor’s dog were barking. Both insured and neighbor pulled on the insured’s dog leash and the neighbor lost his balance, fell and sustained bodily injury. Claim filed against insured.

• Insured’s wife was going over a hill and came upon an emergency vehicle. She attempted to slow down but slid and lost control of her vehicle, hitting the claimant’s vehicle, two EMT’s, a firefighter and two police officers.

• Insured sued for defamation, humiliation and emotional distress as a result of insured’s daughter wrongfully accusing claimant of sexual misconduct with a child.

• Two year old claimant caught his hand in insured’s boat lift and sustained amputation of the tips of his ring finger and little finger.

If you have any questions about Umbrella coverages please give me a call. I am here to clear up any confusion you may have about your Umbrella coverage.