Unfortunately, accidents can and do happen when guests visit your home—even if it’s due to a friendly game of basketball or children playing in the yard. To avoid an ugly lawsuit or liability claim, your homeowners policy should include an umbrella or excess liability policy to cover expenses associated with an injury or an accident that exceeds. With such a policy, medical expenses are usually paid by the insurance carrier without a liability claim being filed against you. Talk with you SIG insurance advisor to discuss the options and terms that are right for you.

While secondary homes offer an amazing opportunity to get away from the daily grind, make sure you don’t take a vacation from having coverage for the unique risks and exposures involved. If the home is unattended for extended periods, the risk of burglary or damage from fires or flooding increases. Your SIG insurance advisor can counsel you on the right policy that provides you with the coverage you need at a fair price.

Miscellaneous insurance is a generic term used for all types of general insurance that covers a variety of risks other than the main ones such as fire, burglary, auto, and home insurance. For example, job loss insurance can cover your monthly expenses for a specified period of time. Travel insurance might come in handy if you’re taking an expensive trip that requires some or all of the payment well before the trip occurs. If you have a valuable item or something that poses a potential risk and you aren’t sure if it’s covered, talk to your SIG insurance advisor.

If your home suffers damage due to something like a fire or flood, your personal property is also at risk. Make sure the things you love such as furniture, appliances, clothing, electronics, and other personal items are covered by your homeowners policy for the replacement cost not the actual cash value. Most personal property depreciates over time while new replacement items typically increase in price.

Special personal items such as jewelry, antiques, artwork, collectibles, and other valuables often have limited or no coverage under a standard homeowners policy and need to be insured separately. Your SIG insurance advisor can help you determine which of your treasured possessions need a separate policy and will search the insurance marketplace for the best policy at the best price.

If you are sued by someone injured on your property or you cause damage on or to someone’s property that you are legally responsible to pay for, personal liability coverage helps pay for medical expenses or replacing damaged items. Many homeowners insurance policies provide a minimum of $100,000 in personal liability coverage. Talk with your SIG insurance advisor to determine the amount of coverage that’s right for your unique situation. If you feel you need more protection, additional liability coverage is available via an umbrella or excess liability policy.

If a guest is injured on your property—even if it’s not serious in nature—you may be required to pay medical expenses associated with the injury. If your homeowners policy includes medical expense coverage, you can submit injury-related medical expenses to the insurance carrier and have those expenses paid without a liability claim being filed against you. Talk with your SIG insurance advisor to be sure your homeowners policy includes the right amount of this coverage.