What happens if someone sues me for over $100,000?

Woah, that’s a scary thought. For many, being sued for $100,000 is almost incomprehensible.

Luckily, if you have renters, condo, or homeowners insurance of some sort each policy comes built in with liability protection. Liability will protect you if you are negligent and responsible for damage or injuries to another party. A good policy usually has at least $300,000, and many people have up to $500,000 or $1,000,000 of liability just on their home policy. But why is this number so high?

Why do I need so much liability protection?

At Eckburg, we almost never recommend having lower liability limits than $300,000 for your home or auto policies. It sounds like a lot, but you can never be too sure if or when you’ll need it, and it’s always better to be safe rather than sorry. Take the story below as an example. Two small children knocked over a sculpture in an Overland Park, Kan. museum. The artist and museum both said it was damaged beyond repair, and sent a bill to the the children’s parents.

The cost of the sculpture?

$132,000.

The artist said it took over two years to create, and the museum is holding the children’s parents liable because they should have been taking more careful watch of their children.

Let’s hope these people have good insurance agents. Reports said that they were planning on filing a claim with their homeowners policy to help pay for the damages. If they only have $100,000 limits, they are still going to be in trouble. But if they have $300,000 or $500,000 limits, they should be just fine.

The real kicker about homeowners insurance liability is that it follows you wherever you go. Even if the lawsuit happens as a result of something that happens hundreds of miles from your home or apartment (as the museum example does), your insurance will cover you.

Eckburg Insurance Group is the largest home and auto insurance provider in northern Illinois. We can cover all your home, auto, business, and life insurance needs. Our dedicated staff, made up almost entirely of men and women who were raised in our community, works tirelessly everyday to keep you protected. Call us today at (815) 877-4100 or click here for a quote!