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Respected Contributor
Posts: 3,537
Registered: ‎03-15-2010

Re: homeowners insurance question


@haddon9 wrote:

@missy1 wrote:

I would not volunteer for the get-togethers at my home.


Isn't it terrible that it's come to that?!


This is the fortunate reality.  Our neighbor wanted to started a bridge social group but then the problem QUICKLY arose that several of the ladies who play bridge are unsteady on their feet as they are older and many people have steps or HW floors that could be slippery.  So now, no bridge group until they can locate a venue and pricing so no homeowner will be liable.  

It is sad that a group of woman who just want to socialize have to be worried about lawsuit, etc

Maybe they could set up card tables in the street!  LOL

Now I know why the internet is so popular.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 30,238
Registered: ‎03-12-2010

Re: homeowners insurance question

I don't know the answer to your question.  It probably depends on the person who fell's insurance.

 

I do know that every time I go to a Dr for anything involving something that might have happened during any kind of accident (for instance, my back); the beginning question is (paraphrasing), "Are you here due to an accident".  They want to soak it for all they can to the insurance company....period.

 

When my late husband and I had a business we had to have insurance (business insurance) in case someone came and fell or something happened IN OUR HOUSE while they were there.

 

Now mind you, never in over 20 some years did one person come or was invited to our house for business reasons, we STILL had to carry the insurance.  

 

I've been saying here for a long time everyone should carry 'casuality insurance' or sometimes it's called 'an umbrella policy'.  Everyone should have it.

 

It's in addition to regular insurance.  Say you are driving or your teenager is driving your car.  There's an accident and you are liable.  If someone is seriously hurt and it costs a lot of money, they can sue you and if your insurance isn't as much as they are awarded (which often happens) if you can't come up with the additional money, you would have to sell your house, etc.

 

This insurance is an extra protection.  It only costs a few extra hundred dollars a year and is worth every single penny!

 

I've always had it as does my oldest daughter (she owns her house too).  She also has one (right now) teenage driver.

 

I've had to deal in business with several different lawyers (Ugh!  Don't care for them, but they're necessary).  They've specialized in business and various other aspects of the law.  

 

They all have EXTRA insurance.  They've said they couldn't imagine not having it.

 

So, there you go people.  Get that extra insurance!  My insurance company did a background check on me and it took a few months BEFORE they approved it.  Each insurance company is different.

Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 7,835
Registered: ‎03-15-2010

Re: homeowners insurance question

[ Edited ]

This got me to thinking about a similar situation that took place in our home years ago.

 

My brother in law (now deceased) who was visiting from another state, fell down our basement stairs and was seriously injured.  He was taken by ambulance to the nearest trauma center (which undoubtedly saved his life).  He was drunk.  

 

Now this was well over twenty years ago, before "managed care," etc.  The hospital was so intent on saving this man's life (brain injury), that I don't recall them asking him a bunch of questions not related to his injury.  He was a veteran and had health insurance through his job.  That's all they wanted to know.   And by the way, this medical center is one of the best in the state.  

 

They saved his life ... and his insurance paid for transporting him back to his home state, over 300 miles away.

 

No one asked us about our homeowner's insurance ... not once.

Respected Contributor
Posts: 2,724
Registered: ‎03-13-2010

Re: homeowners insurance question

It's not 20 years ago.

 

People today are well informed, and bombarded with lawyer ads on TeeVee...

 

Think of THIS scenario:

 

YOU , who have assets, a home, cars, savings, a pension, and social security, and have worked your entire life to be able to support yourself, pay your debts, etc...

 

You have an accident that YOU caused involving a drunk, uninsured, person with NO assets.

 

Maybe YOU rear ended him at the red light because you're in a hurry, that light is green, get moving, come on, it's not getting any greener....and YOU had to floor it when the light changed and..... he stopped short because maybe a child was in front of his car that you couldn't see.

 

Even though drunk, he was proceeding thru the intersection with caution. YOU were tailgaiting.

 

YOU caused the accident. Rear ending is almost ALWAYS the fault of the person who hits the car in front, because you didn't allow enough space.

 

YOU injured the guy, or maybe killed him.

 

YOU have the money and assets that he or his family will go after.

 

He doesn't have a pot to pee in, and is driving an old hoop-dee with no insurance.

 

Doesn't matter what HE doesn't have or didn't do. or that he was drunk. He will have to address those issues if he survives...a fine, loss of license, etc.

 

In a perverse way, it's his LUCKY day. He was rear-ended by a person with assets.

 

BINGO!!!!

 

2 million dollars in Liability  coverage for 4.00 a week.  Think about it.

 

NOw think same scenario, and the SOBER opportunistic guy in the hoopdee sees the shiny grill of your Escalade in his mirror, halfway up his trunk because YOU"RE important and have places to go....... and you're scowling and grimacing because he isn't moving out of your way one millisecond after the light changes.

 

He starts the turn, you say "come on MOVE!!" and then he STOPS to make sure it's clear. Not even drunk. YOU hit him with a 4 ton tank and you're in his back seat.,and injure or kill him.....BINGO!!!!

Honored Contributor
Posts: 41,255
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: homeowners insurance question


@SahmIam wrote:

@Abrowneyegirl  Because she (the person with the injury) informed everyone regarding her care that it happened at someone elses' house and therefore, the homeowner had to pay.

 

3 years ago my then 9 year old fell while at a friends house; he fell off their deck while playing with his buddy. Their deck includes a slide that has almost a foot space between the slide and each side of the deck fence; he fell through that. Fractured shoulder and a concussion were the results; it also pulled him out of sports for the fall season (the kids LOVES sports). Trip to the hospital, x-rays, had to see an orthopedist, had to wear a sling, was out of school for a week or more due to concussion. 

 

You know who paid for it? We did. Why? It was an ACCIDENT while at a play date. We didn't tell the hospital it was someone else's fault (it wasn't). It was HIS actions that caused him to fall; so why should the homeowners pay for it?

 

When I hear stories like yours, I often wonder if people do this a a precursor to suing or if they have a high deductible or if they simply don't want to spend the money (when they have the insurance). Even if they don't have the insurance, it was THEIR fault via THEIR actions; why make someone pay for your clumsiness?

 

Being honest, I think less of a person for doing this and yes, it would end the friendship.

 

JMHO.

 

 


 

 

 

of course it is an accident, but if you are asked questions it is best to be totally honest and give the EXACT DETAILS of the accident. who, what , where , when, how. someones insurance will pay and the insurance companies can fight it out. YOU dont get to decide who pays, the insurance companies are experts at dealing with all types of accidents. i am not sure why it would end a friendship? isnt this one of the many reasons why we all have insurance coverage?

 

 

********************************************
"The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing." - Albert Einstein
Honored Contributor
Posts: 9,139
Registered: ‎04-16-2010

Re: homeowners insurance question

@sunshine45  I think you're presuming a bit. What makes you think we didn't tell the truth? Of COURSE we did as our child was injured. It WAS an accident but caused by my child doing something stupid NOT because he was pushed or someone hit him or anything. Why should our friends pay the price for his stupidity?

 

Maybe it was how we were raised. Maybe it's the company we keep. But anyone who comes into my house and then does something stupid causing them to hurt themselves is not going to be our buddy if they come after us for money....ESPECIALLY if it's the "because they can" kind of money.

 

Many years ago, my in-laws hosted a party for a very dear friend who didn't have much time to live. One of the individuals invited was newly married; he was 70 something, she was in her early 30's. No one who had met her cared for her and after spending a few minutes around her, I understood why. 

 

One thing she and I talked about where her shoes; gorgeous high heels. She called them her "money" shoes. I wanted to ask her why she called them that but had to go off and deal with one of boys; I would eventually figure it out. Hours later, we said our good-byes and left. Found out a few days later, she'd tripped and hurt her ankle in the living room. What did she trip on, I asked, as there are no carpets anywhere in their home (all hardwoods). Not sure, but she claimed she did.

 

And then the calls/bills began to arrive. My MIL, a nurse, didn't buy the injuries the chick was claiming. FIL didn't quite understand why they were being billed but eventually figured it out. Then they found out she was suing them for more than a million dollars....yes, they have money. Not flashy, but it's obvious they do. In the end, my in-laws won but it destroyed the friendship with his friend of 50 years plus (he and dad met as teens in London and were in the same field). The gentleman would call, email and mum and dad and all their old chums wanted nothing to do with him.

 

Last year, at Christmas, we ran into him at the National Press Club. His wife wasn't there. She'd divorce him in a very nasty divorce. He told dad that it was his wife who wanted to sue, he begged her not to but she saw the $$$$ and well...there it is. Dad listened and then told him he chose her. Not surprised it didn't work out and have a nice life. Not ONE person in their social circle agreed with paying her bills or anything else. That's the type of social circle I and my family run in. I know people are are $&^%^ and they'll sue at the drop of a hat. Doesn't mean we ALL would and doesn't mean you just shrug your shoulders and go "oh well". Protect yourself and choose your friends carefully.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 41,255
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: homeowners insurance question

@SahmIam

 

i am not really talking about "going after" a friend or homeowner for their money or to receive a big settlement. i am talking about the post that began this discussion. i am talking about an accident, beyond anyones control, and being honest about what happened when you go to the doctor or ER or urgent care. you give them ALL the information that you have and be honest. let the insurance companies figure out who is at fault.  if it is found that the homeowners insurance should cover it even though the person hurt might have been just clumsy and has medical insurance, it would not cause me to lose a friend.

 

i can honestly say that i would never NOT invite someone to our home because i was in fear of getting sued.

********************************************
"The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing." - Albert Einstein
Trusted Contributor
Posts: 1,343
Registered: ‎06-15-2018

Re: homeowners insurance question


@sunshine45 wrote:

@SahmIam

 

i am not really talking about "going after" a friend or homeowner for their money or to receive a big settlement. i am talking about the post that began this discussion. i am talking about an accident, beyond anyones control, and being honest about what happened when you go to the doctor or ER or urgent care. you give them ALL the information that you have and be honest. let the insurance companies figure out who is at fault.  if it is found that the homeowners insurance should cover it even though the person hurt might have been just clumsy and has medical insurance, it would not cause me to lose a friend.

 

i can honestly say that i would never NOT invite someone to our home because i was in fear of getting sued.


It's always best to be honest, esp when dealing with insurance situations or you'll end up with more problems.  And not inviting people to your home just because you're afraid of being sued is no way to live.  But that's how some people are. 

Honored Contributor
Posts: 9,139
Registered: ‎04-16-2010

Re: homeowners insurance question

@sunshine45 @Equuleus  I agree with you both.

 

I think the thread split off into 2 topics under the same theme: insurance, accidents, who pays.

 

Absolutely in the event of a car accident, work accident, neighbors action causing damage to your property, etc. is when you need to do what you need to do (don't get me started on drunk drivers).

 

The OP's situation simply reminded me of what happened with my son; never occurred to us to ask the homeowners to pay for any aspect of it (they offered and we declined) let alone sue them for damages. Watching what my in-laws went through because of someone who is out for $$$$ any way she can; yeah, you become cynical and that's a shame.

 

As others have pointed out: you must cover yourself because you never know. 

Trusted Contributor
Posts: 1,390
Registered: ‎03-15-2010

Re: homeowners insurance question

I carry a one million dollar umbrella policy just in case.  I think its $160.00 a year.  For me it's a small price to pay for peace of mind.