You purchase umbrella insurance so that you’re covered under every contingency. An umbrella policy should also provide coverage for the gap between the value of the insured item and the amount you owe on it. The following table lists basic umbrella coverage every umbrella policy should include:
Gap Description | What Coverage You Need | Comments |
---|---|---|
Territory of coverage | Worldwide | Make sure lawsuits outside the U.S. and Canada are covered. |
Personal injury liability | Libel, slander, false arrest, and so on | Underlying insurance may be required. Be careful. |
Coverage of newly acquired vehicles, boats, and so on | Automatic, no notice required | Poor policies require notification in 30 days or no coverage. Dangerous! |
Liability assumed in contracts | Weddings, parties, rentals of all kinds | Poor policies limit coverage to residential contracts only. |
Punitive damages | Allowed in some states | You could travel in a state that allows them. |