Risk & Business Magazine Marcotte Magazine Summer 2018 | Page 25

UMBRELLA POLICY What Is An Umbrella Policy & Why Do You Need One? I n the blink of an eye, a multimillion-dollar lawsuit could erase the value of your home, car, property, savings, investments, and income. An umbrella policy can protect your assets and prevent financial hardship, giving you broader coverage if you are sued and the peace of mind of knowing you are protected. Reasons to Consider an Umbrella Policy • Increase your liability coverage in the event that you are found responsible for a serious car accident or an incident on your property • Protect your personal assets from claims that may exceed the limits of your primary auto, home, or boat policies • As y ou accumulate more assets and add youthful operators to your auto policies, you may increase exposure to risk RISK FACTORS Becky Gilmore is the Personal Lines Manager. Becky manages the Personal Lines Department from customer service to marketing with BY: BECKY GILMORE numerous insurance companies. PERSONAL LINES MANAGER She specializes in customer detail MARCOTTE and reviewing coverages with clients. Becky joined the agency in 1997 and brought 25 years of insurance knowledge and management experience with her. She has obtained her specialty insurance designation of Certified Professional Insurance Woman (CPIW) and Certified Insurance Counselor (CIC). Becky holds her Property/Casualty license, is a Nebraska Notary, is a member of the Independent Insurance Agents of Omaha, chaired various insurance related committees and remains active in the insurance community. You can contact Becky at 402-970-3316 or [email protected]. CONSIDERATIONS QUESTIONS Home Do you own a home? If you have equity in your home, in some states, a plaintiff could attach a lien. Retirement Accounts Do you have retirement accounts? Stocks? CDs? Young Drivers Do you have young drivers in your household? A plaintiff could target a pension, 401(k), and even future inheritance. Travel Do you ever travel outside the country? Do you plan to in the future? Most auto policies have geographical restrictions, but a personal umbrella policy provides worldwide coverage. Income Does your income level, combined wages, or future earnings put you at a greater risk of a lawsuit? Wages can be garnished to satisfy a judgment. Hospital-Related Services Are your limits the same as they were 10 years ago? Hospital-related services have almost doubled in the last 10 years. Borrowing Property Have you ever borrowed a boat? A neighbor’s truck? Used a brother’s motor home? Liability costs could run into hundreds of thousands of dollars or more. Your existing policies may not be enough. Instead of wondering about what you could lose, find out about the added peace of mind you could gain with an umbrella policy. Young drivers make mistakes, sometimes ones that are very costly. Your current insurance coverage may not cover you. To make it easy for you to get the right level of coverage for your specific needs, we offer limits ranging from $1 million to $10 mil- lion for customers meeting certain eligibility criteria. When you require legal defense for a covered claim, the umbrella policy helps cover defense costs such as attorney fees and other expenses. + 25