Just about every homeowner has an active homeowner’s insurance policy. Most mortgages require it before lending any money. Although not all landlords and rental companies require tenant’s insurance, renters should carefully consider purchasing a policy in case they suffer a catastrophic loss that would have been covered. 

While most people associate homeowner’s and tenant’s insurance with coverage after a residence fire, natural disaster, or theft, these policies may also cover personal injuries suffered by another person while on your property. This is often referred to as a personal injury rider or personal injury endorsement on a homeowner’s policy. Homeowners’ policies in New York typically have some type of coverage for personal liability.

Which Injuries Are Covered in a Typical Homeowner’s Insurance Policy?

Many accidents that commonly give rise to personal injury claims, like slip-and-fall incidents and dog bites, may be covered in a typical homeowner’s insurance policy. Any negligence of somebody insured under the policy may also be covered in New York.

Besides accidents that cause physical injuries, your homeowner’s policy likely covers the following under a personal offense coverage: 

• Libel, slander, or defamation
• False imprisonment
• Wrongful entry
• Publication of content that violates someone’s right to privacy

How Much Will Your Insurance Pay?

Refer to your policy coverage for information on how much your provider will cover in case of a personal injury. A no-frills policy might cover something like $1,000 in medical bills per person and $25,000 in total expenses per incident. 

However, as with minimum auto insurance coverage in New York, the lowest limits are not often enough for serious injuries. Policyholders can usually purchase add-ons that will significantly increase the limits on covered losses.

Do Businesses Have Personal Injury Insurance?

Businesses — especially those with brick-and-mortar locations — usually have a wide array of insurance policies that cover a wide range of losses. Coverage for personal injuries that occur on a company’s property is often included in general liability insurance. Many business owners choose to upgrade their coverage limits by purchasing umbrella policies.

Watch Out for Exclusions

As always, stay vigilant for gaps in your homeowner’s or tenant’s insurance policy. Just because you have a personal injury endorsement does not mean every type of accident is covered. To give a unique example, your policy might cover injuries resulting from dog bites but not injuries resulting from more exotic pets like snakes or other reptiles.

Our Firm Helps With Personal Injury and Property Insurance Cases

In an ideal world, insurance providers would always pay out the full amount of a covered loss. Unfortunately, we live in a world where powerful insurance companies often delay, underpay, or simply refuse to pay legitimate claims. Providers often count on claimants (understandably) throwing up their hands or taking a lowball offer rather than engage in a complex and time-consuming process. 

Unfortunately for providers, that’s exactly what we’re here for. Our team will do everything in our power to get what you deserve after you suffer property damage or a personal injury. Contact us today to schedule your free consultation.