What does umbrella insurance cover?
Umbrella insurance provides an additional layer of personal liability protection1 on top of your liability insurance. So what does that mean? Here’s a scenario to help explain:
You're driving on a rainy night when traffic stops abruptly ahead of you. Because of the conditions, you can't stop fast enough and rear-end the car in front of you, seriously injuring the two occupants. The total cost of their medical care is $720,000. Your auto policy pays $500,000 and repairs their vehicle, but that leaves $220,000 in unpaid bills for which you are legally responsible.
This is where umbrella insurance kicks in. A Safeco umbrella policy provides an additional layer of protection when you don't have enough primary insurance coverage. Without an umbrella policy, your savings and future income could be in danger. But, in this scenario, your umbrella policy will pay the $220,000 in outstanding bills, plus associated legal costs as well.
A Safeco umbrella policy can be used with any other Safeco policies you have, along with most policies purchased from other insurance companies. This includes policies covering your boat, motorcycle, all-terrain vehicle, snowmobile, or other toys.
Why should you add umbrella insurance to your policy?
Having $500,000 of liability coverage sounds like a lot of protection, but when you think about the high cost of emergency care, surgical bills, post-surgery care, rehab, pain and suffering, lost income, and more the costs can rise rapidly. Multiply that by several individuals and it's easy to exceed $500,000.
A personal umbrella policy begins where damages for covered claims could exceed the underlying policy limits. It's also a critical part of your overall risk management plan because it provides an additional layer of protection when you need it.
Without an umbrella policy, your assets, savings, and even future income could be in danger because you could be required to pay all costs over your policy's liability limit. And umbrella covers much more than just auto accidents. That’s why it's essential in helping protect your family.
It's also affordable. Quality coverage costs as little as a dollar a day.
Still have umbrella insurance questions?
Browse the most frequently asked questions about umbrella insurance below, or contact a local independent agent to discuss your options today.
How much coverage do you need?
The amount of coverage you need depends on many factors including your financial assets, current income, lifestyle, and existing coverage, to name a few. Just remember that in liability lawsuits, a judgment could exceed your net worth, so talk with your local independent agent for advice on the amount of coverage that's right for you.
How much does an umbrella policy cost?
Each policy is different, so your premium depends on your needs. To begin, umbrella policies have a standard cost for you and your household family members, the family home, and one automobile. Other exposures, such as additional cars, rental properties, boats, motorcycles, ATVs, and other assets, add to the premium since they are also covered by the policy.
In general, the higher the underlying liability coverage, the less expensive the umbrella policy will be. For example, increasing your auto liability from $250,000/$500,000 to $500,000 combined single limits can significantly reduce your umbrella premium.
Can you get umbrella insurance on its own?
No — to qualify for Safeco umbrella insurance, you must also carry Safeco auto insurance. In general, other policies, like your homeowners insurance, motorcycle, watercraft, ATV, and rental policies may be insured with another carrier.
All policies have required insurance limits, so talk with your local Safeco independent agent for more information about adding the extra protection of umbrella insurance. They can offer you a quote in just minutes.
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