California Umbrella Insurance

Protect yourself from more than the rain with an umbrella insurance policy.

As a responsible person, you’ve got more than the minimum on all your insurance coverage. You’ve increased your limits as much as you can afford, and you know in most situations, you and your family are protected.

What about detrimental accidents like a neighbor falling and severely injuring themselves, an unintentional multi-car pile-up, or a tree falling on your neighbor’s property?

Some liabilities can’t be completely covered by your standard insurance policy, even when you’ve raised your limits as far as you can.

That’s where umbrella insurance comes in. In California, umbrella insurance policies provide additional liability coverage for the truly big accidents and in some cases, it may help cover liabilities your standard policy won’t.

How Does a California Umbrella Insurance Policy Work?

Let’s say you’re the lead car in a multi-car pileup on the freeway. It wasn’t intentional but you’re found responsible. The property damage totals $500,000 but your liability limit is only $200,000. Without an umbrella policy, you’re personally and financially responsible for the remaining $300,000. With a California umbrella insurance policy, you’re covered and don’t have to pay out of pocket.

In most cases, when you purchase an umbrella insurance policy, you’ll buy it in $1 million increments. As long as the liability is covered under your policy, whatever you owe after your primary insurance pays will be covered – up to your policy limits – by your umbrella insurance policy. Depending on the amount of coverage you choose, the cost for umbrella insurance is minimal compared to other policies.

What Does a California Umbrella Insurance Policy Cover?

In California, umbrella insurance policies cover very specific liabilities you may incur as the result of an accident.

• Bodily injuries
• Damage to property
• Some personal liability situations – discuss these specifics with your independent insurance agent based on the policy options available to you
• Certain (but not all) lawsuits: slander or libel, false arrest, detention, or imprisonment, shock or mental anguish

What’s Not Covered by a California Umbrella Insurance Policy

An umbrella insurance policy doesn’t cover everything. In certain lawsuits or other liabilities you might be responsible for, your umbrella insurance will not be able to help.

• Loss of your personal property
• Business losses even if you have a home-based business
• Criminal or intentional bad acts
• Contracts that you enter into and then are sued over

Umbrella insurance policies are an easy and smart way to add another layer of protection over yourself and your family. If not, and you’re found liable in a big and expensive accident, you’ll have to pay out of pocket to cover what your insurance policy doesn’t. Don’t let one accident bankrupt your family. Let IBW help you find the right umbrella policy for you. We have carriers that can cover over $10 million.