Personal Liability Insurance
Personal liability exposure exists in many different – and often unexpected – forms. While everyone may have some liability exposure, high net worth individuals are especially vulnerable; wealth can make them natural targets for lawsuits.
Following are some examples of actual industry claims that highlight personal liability exposures. Unfortunate incidents like these can, and do, occur.
- A delivery man carrying packages tripped and fell over a dog resting on the steps.
- An interior decorator fell through rotted board on a guest house porch and fractured her ankle.
- While performing maintenance work, a domestic employee fell from a roof and sustained fatal injuries.
- The employee of a landscaping contractor sustained severe injuries on the premises due to unsafe work conditions and equipment failure.
- Excessive weight and improper design caused a deck to collapse during a party, injuring numerous guests.
- A New Year’s Eve party guest was severely injured while dancing.
- The host of a private house party was sued for negligence after a party guest sexually assaulted another attendee.
- A farm animal escaped from the property, wandered into a roadway and caused a fatal car accident.
- An insured’s elderly mother-in-law fell in a dimly lit entry foyer and fractured her hip.
- A large tree branch fell onto a neighbor’s greenhouse and caused extensive damage.
- The drainage system from an insured’s swimming pool caused flooding and water damage to a neighbor’s property.
- Dog bites: a dog escaped from a closed bedroom and bit a party guest; a dog bit a contractor working on the insured’s property; and while being walked, a dog bit a passing skateboarder.
- Hobbies: An errant golf ball struck a pedestrian, causing severe injuries.
- Children’s activities: The playmate of an insured’s daughter allegedly struck a domestic employee who was babysitting the children (personal negligence arising from the actions of a minor).
- An insured was accused of making slanderous remarks in a speech during a political campaign.
- An insured was sued for defamation as a result of forwarding an e-mail containing disparaging comments about the someone.
- After taking legal action to stop a neighbor from building an addition to his home, an insured was subsequently sued by the neighbor.
- A former domestic employee sued over allegations of discrimination and wrongful termination.
- An insured ended a relationship with a domestic partner and forced the partner to move out of the home. The partner sued with an allegation of wrongful eviction.
