Home Insurance Articles

A Look At What Is Not Covered By Your Homeowner Liability Coverage Policy

2010-03-20

Home insurance, in addition to providing coverage to your home and its contents should they be damaged or stolen, will also typically include homeowner's liability. This coverage is intended to protect the policyholder from lawsuits and pay out claims to those who are injured on the property. This coverage is enforced even when the homeowner is not at home, and although it is of great benefit for minimizing payouts to those that have been injured on your property, there are certain situations in which this coverage will not operate, or when the insurance provider will refuse to payout a home insurance claim.

Homeowner's liability typically covers three types of people which come to the home. These include invitees, licensees, and trespassers. An invitee is someone you have invited on to your property, such as a single guest or contractor there to complete a job. You have the highest degree of responsibility for these people. A licensee is a broader category - for example all of the people at a large party you throw. They may not have all been invited specifically, but once they are on your property with your implied consent, you have a duty to ensure they are safe. Trespassers are just that - those on your property without your permission. You have a responsibility not to lay any traps for them, but as long as you are unaware of their presence, your duty to them ends there. Once you have reasonable knowledge that they are on your property, you must take steps not to injure them, even while removing them.

Home insurance coverage by way of homeowner's liability can pay out to any of the above-listed types of people on your property. Liability coverage is fortunately quite broad, and will cover accidents which happen at the home either as a result of pure chance, or as a function of neglect. If you neglect to shovel your deck free of snow and an invitee slips outside of your back door and falls, breaking an arm on the deck, you would be considered negligent. In this case, liability insurance would pay out. If, however, you intentionally cause or create a situation in which it is likely that someone will be injured, your insurance will not cover you, and you will be left to pay the costs.

As well, there may be certain types of injury or injuries resulting from specific situations that may not be covered, for example if there are firearms in the home. Be sure to contact your insurance company and ask what exactly your homeowners liability coverage will pay out for, and under what circumstances, as paying ongoing medical costs or legal fees alone can be overwhelming.