Homeowner's Liability Insurance

Everyone has parties- Holiday parties, Birthday parties, Superbowl parties, etc but do you realize the risk you are at when you throw a party?

Let me lay this example out for you.   Last month one of my neighbors had a Christmas party. Everyone in the neighborhood was invited.  There were three kegs that were provided by the hosts along with wine and mixed drinks.  There was a live band and many guests brought some type of food to share. 

The backyard was beautiful- It had a huge pool, waterfall, 4 fire pits, an outside bar, and a big deck with several levels.

Now think about this for a minute- Hundreds of people are at this party, drinking, dancing, and celebrating the holiday season.  The pool was unfenced and directly next to the unleveled deck where everyone was drinking and dancing.  The fire pits and heat lamps were also scattered around the yard. 

This is a Insurance Company's worst nightmare!

Can you begin to the see the risk the host was at for a liability hazard?  This isn't even talking about what type of damage could be done to the property (couches, floors, walls, etc). 

The trouble is most hosts do not know what their liability is if someone gets hurt or even worse yet gets in an alcohol related accident.  There are several states that have what are called social host legal statutes, which holds homeowners responsible for furnishing alcohol to someone who gets injured in an alcohol related accident

Now, I fully expect that people are going to continue hosting parties so here are some tips to help protect yourself:

    Limit your guest list to your close family and friends.

•     Host your party at a restaurant or bar that has a liquor license, rather then in your home.
•     Provide filling foods (breads and starchy foods) for guests to help slow down the effects of alcohol
•     Arrange transportation or other sleeping arrangements for those who have drank.
•     Stop serving alcohol 2 hours before the party is scheduled to end and offer coffee to guests.
•     Consider collecting keys when guests arrive to better control them when leaving intoxicated.
•     Review your insurance policy with your insurance agent to ensure you have the proper liability        coverage and to check your states social host legal statutes. 
•      Purchase a personal umbrella policy to provide extra coverage.

Gary Hanson

Professional Insurance Strategies,

7575 E. Redfield Rd, Suite 235

Scottsdale, AZ 85260

602-481-0161

www.proinsgroup.com