One serious car accident or injury on your property can lead to a claim bigger than your auto or home insurance limits. When that happens, you could be on the hook for the rest. Personal umbrella insurance adds an extra layer of liability coverage on top of your other policies. ChaCha compares umbrella insurance quotes and helps line up your underlying limits so there are no gaps.
01
Coverage above your limits
Typically sold in $1 million layers that sit above your other policies.
02
When a crash costs more
Helps when injuries or damage from a serious accident exceed your car insurance liability limits.
03
When an injury costs more
Helps with large injury claims on your property or caused by your household.
Personal umbrella insurance is extra liability insurance. It pays for damages and legal costs that go beyond the liability limits on your auto, homeowners, renters, condo or boat insurance. It can also cover some claims your other policies don't, like certain personal injury claims for libel or slander.
Think of your regular policies as the first layer. If a claim uses up that layer, the umbrella policy picks up the rest, up to its own limit.
Say you cause a multi-car accident and the injured people sue for $800,000. Your auto policy has $300,000 in bodily injury liability. Without an umbrella, you could be personally responsible for the remaining $500,000, which could put your savings, home equity or future wages at risk. With a $1 million umbrella policy, the umbrella could cover that $500,000, subject to policy terms.
Umbrella insurance isn't only for wealthy people. Lawsuits can target future wages, not just current assets. It's worth a look if you:
A common rule of thumb is to carry enough to protect your net worth, plus some cushion for future earnings. Many people start with $1 million and add more as their assets grow. Your agent can help you weigh your risks, but the right number is ultimately your call.
Umbrella insurers require you to carry minimum liability limits on your auto and home policies before the umbrella kicks in. For example, an insurer might require $250,000 per person and $500,000 per accident on auto and $300,000 on home. If your underlying limits are too low, there could be a gap you'd have to pay yourself. We'll check your current policies and make sure everything lines up.
Umbrella insurance is often affordable compared to the amount of coverage it adds, because it only pays after your other policies are used up. Your price depends on:
Some insurers offer a discount when the umbrella is with the same company as your auto and home policies.
We review your auto, home and other liability limits, explain any underlying requirements and compare personal umbrella insurance quotes. If your current limits need to go up first, we'll show you the cost of doing both together.
ChaCha Insurance is an independent insurance agency. Quotes are free and asking for one doesn't start or change any policy.
We take the answers to the insurance companies we work with. You do not pay us a fee for the comparison.
Liability limits on your auto, home and any boat policies.
Drivers, vehicles and any teen drivers.
Pools, dogs, rental properties, boats or volunteer roles.
Have these handy?
If a claim could exceed those limits, yes. Serious injury claims can reach well beyond typical policy limits. Once your own limits are used up, a lawsuit could reach your savings, home equity and future wages. An umbrella policy adds a layer above them and it's often affordable compared to the amount of coverage it adds.
Sometimes. Some insurers require the underlying policies to be with them, while others don't. Even when it's allowed, the umbrella insurer will set minimum liability limits for your auto and home policies and a gap between those minimums and what you carry could leave you paying the difference. We check that your policies line up wherever they're written.
Often, if the rental has the required underlying liability coverage. That usually means a landlord or dwelling policy on each rental home, with liability limits that meet the umbrella insurer's minimums. Tell us about every property you own or rent out, so we can make sure each one is listed and nothing falls into a gap.
No. Business activities need a commercial umbrella or business liability policy. A personal umbrella sits above your personal auto, home and boat policies. If you run a business, even from home, its liability usually needs its own coverage and a commercial umbrella can add extra limits above it.
Most personal umbrella policies start at $1 million and can go higher, depending on the insurer. Coverage is usually sold in $1 million increments. A common starting point is to add up your net worth and the income you'd want to protect, then choose a limit that covers it with some cushion. We can talk through the numbers with you.
Free, no obligation and no pressure to switch. Quotes move faster over the phone.
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ChaCha, Inc. is an independent insurance agency. Coverage descriptions on this site are general summaries for information only. They are not an offer of insurance and they do not amend or replace the terms of any policy. Actual coverage is subject to policy language, underwriting approval and availability in your state.
