- Provides insurance cover if you are legally responsible for the accidental death or illness of or injury to someone who is not a member of your household. This cover includes your legal responsibility for accidental physical loss of or damage to someone else's property or belongings.
- There is no need for this cover to be requested as it is embedded in your household contents and or building cover at a very small additional cost.
- For example your dog runs loose into the street and bites a passerby and they sue you for the injuries caused by the dog, you would be covered by either policy.
- In a homeowner’s insurance, the personal liability will also cover you for damage caused to a third party by the structure/building at your property. For example a boundary wall collapses on top of your neighbour’s car.
- Basically it covers you for being sued for Medical costs, present and future; restoring or replacing damaged property; pain and suffering of the injured party; loss of income and/ or legal costs.
- Personal Liability insurance extends further to cover you if you were a member of the neighbourhood watch and were sued for wrongful arrest, credit card theft/ fraud, or when you hit a hole in one and you have to buy everyone drinks at the golf club.
- Once a claim has arisen, the insurers request that you not accept liability or consent to pay for anything relating to the event. You will need to send all documentation received from the third party to the Insurer. The Insurer will take over the liability and by so doing indemnifies you. However, you might be requested to provide information or testify in court.
- Depending on the degree to which the insurer deems there was wrongdoing on your part, an out-of-court settlement may be reached with the injured party.
- If the case against you is not certain and the insurer decides not to settle, it will be up to the injured party to proceed to court.
- All subsequent damages and legal fees will be covered by the insurer, should the court hold you liable for these.
- The third party must then prove to the court that you were liable and at fault and as a result they suffered harm or a loss
Tip
Never accept liability or consent to pay a third party for liability claims, send the claim to the Insurer who will accept liability on your behalf and compensate the third party if it is found you were at fault.
Contact one of our advisors for more information.
Phone: 011 803 9686
Email: vivian@pbafsa.co.za
https://www.pbafsa.co.za/