Ask the Experts: Does homeowners insurance cover personal liability?

Typical homeowners insurance provides limited coverage for personal injuries or property damage to others for which you or members of your family living with you may be legally responsible. The injuries or damages don't have to occur on your property. Your policy will describe what types of claims are covered, and coverage may vary by state, policy type, and insurer, so check with your carrier or agent for particular coverage questions.

Liability protection is comprised of two parts: personal liability and medical payments. Personal liability covers claims or lawsuits against you arising out of bodily injury or property damage to others caused by an accident on your property, or by accidents away from your property, caused by you or family members who live with you. The coverage also pays for your legal defense should you be sued for a covered claim. However, coverage does not extend to losses caused by intentional acts, business related incidents, accidents covered by auto insurance, or claims covered by worker's compensation insurance.

Typically, personal liability provides a minimum of $100,000 of coverage "per occurrence." Also, unlike other types of property coverage, there is no deductible for personal liability or medical payments coverage. If you need more coverage, you might consider increasing your personal liability coverage limits, or buying an umbrella policy that provides additional personal liability coverage in excess of your homeowners coverage.

Medical payments pays medical expenses incurred by people accidentally injured on your property, regardless of fault, up to policy limits. Injuries to you or family members living with you are not covered, nor are injuries resulting from activities that involve your business.

Examples of types of liability claims homeowners insurance may cover include: your dog wandering into your neighbor's yard and biting the house painter; a neighborhood child getting hurt climbing your fence, despite your repeated warnings; and your errant golf shot accidentally striking another player in the head.