Guest or Staff Injuries: How Homeowners Insurance Provides Liability Cover

As an entertainer, you'll know that the trick to hosting a successful event is preparing for any eventuality. While having the number of an emergency clinic on hand will help injured guests get prompt medical assistance, it won't protect you should they take legal action against you. You could be held responsible if a guest's belongings are damaged or stolen on your property. Adding to your Homeowners Insurance cover can protect you should this happen. Keep reading to find out why comprehensive Homeowners insurance from 1st For Women that includes liability coverage is a good idea.

Understanding Homeowners Insurance Liability Cover

For most women, Homeowners Insurance in South Africa brings to mind coverage for your home's physical structure. While this is true, comprehensive Homeowners Insurance can also be modified to include coverage of the secondary costs you're responsible for should your home need accident repair and any additional costs arising from the result of it. For example, if your home is temporarily rendered uninhabitable, your primary insurance will cover the cost of the repairs to restore it to its former state but won't pay for the alternative accommodation you'll need to live in until your home is ready. 

You can also expand your Homeowners Insurance coverage to pay for any medical payments or personal liability claims you face as a result of someone getting injured on your property. It will also cover your costs should someone demand compensation for their belongings getting damaged, stolen or lost on your property. 

Common misconceptions about Homeowners Insurance & liability cover

Misconceptions on liability cover can keep you from experiencing its full benefits. Here are a few common ones that may be familiar to you: 

• “All types of liability are covered” — Liability coverage only protects you should you or a designated family member accidentally or through negligence injure someone or damage or lose their belongings on your property. It won't protect you should you deliberately do any of the above.

• All belongings are covered” — While you'll get liability coverage for damage to most belongings, rare or high-value ones may not be eligible for this and could require additional coverage that accounts for their higher values or rarity.

• “My pets are covered” — Many liability insurance products omit injuries or damages caused by pets or exclude specific pet breeds.

•  “I'm covered if I work from home” — If you operate a business from home you will need to take out separate business insurance that's either generic or specifically caters to the industry you work in. This shouldn't be overlooked as it's estimated that up to 220 000 workers sustain injuries in the job every year. Worker’s Compensation Insurance will protect you against claims raised by staff members who get injured on your home office or business property.

•  “I can use this insurance to keep my home in good condition” — While you'll get coverage for damages stemming from an accident, negligence or unpredicted event on your property, your claim may be rejected if it's determined that a lack of maintenance led to the incident occurring.

Why Homeowners Insurance matters for injuries on your property

You may feel like your home is a safe and well maintained space and that you're unlikely to need liability coverage. Before you dismiss it, here are a few examples of situations that take place in homes more often than you think that could take place when having a close friend over or hosting a large social event:

• Any accidental injury — This can include someone slipping, tripping and falling on your property for any reason. It can also include someone hurting themselves on a hazard or having something fall on them. For example, they can walk into a clear sliding door that they thought was open, trip while running down a polished passageway or fail to duck their head when entering a low ceilinged room. 

• Any negligence-related injury — Someone could get injured on your property because you've accidentally created a situation where a hazard is present. This can be leaving a tripping hazard out, not packaging dangerous items away from human contact or failing to leash a pet with a reputation for violence. 

Having liability coverage can cover you financially or one or more of the following claims: 

• Legal defence costs — Should someone take action against you, you will get covered for the cost paying for a legal team, for the cost and fees related to the proceeding itself and for any lump sum payments you're required to pay the person who made the claim.

• Medical costs — You could be requested to pay the full medical expenses relating to someone's treatment and recovery from an injury sustained on your property. This can be accompanied by a legal claim or stand by itself.

Tips for homeowners to reduce risks of injuries on property

To ensure you only use your liability insurance when you really need it , you can prevent injuries and damages from taking place at home by doing the following: 

• Conduct an audit — an audit from an impartial assessor will alert you to any potential hazards in your home and provide you with a recommended maintenance schedule to update any repairs you've made. This will keep your home safe and preserve its value. 

• Invest in lighting — ensure shadowy or poorly lit areas of your home are illuminated with adequate lighting. This can also put off intruders.

• Invest in storage — Keep pathways and floors clear of clutter by investing in secure storage.

• Maintain your garden — keep areas where people walk and gather or park free from low hanging branches or falling hazards.

• Invest in fencing and railing — railing and fencing can keep pets secure and keep children away from hazardous areas. Railing can help people navigate around these areas securely. 

Get a Homeowners’ Insurance quote from 1st for Women

Thinking about the worst that could happen on your property can be cause for worry, but only if you fail to take suitable action to remedy it. For an affordable Homeowners Insurance quote or to break down what does into the Cost of Homeowners Insurance offerings, contact 1st for Women today.