Umbrella coverage
Umbrella insurance: liability on top of everything else
An umbrella adds $1M or more of liability on top of your home, auto and boat policies, and pays after their limits run out.
What we check
- Underlying limits
- Household drivers
- Rental properties
- Watercraft
What it covers
Injuries to others
Bodily injury claims above your home, auto or boat limits.
Property damage
Damage to other people’s property above your underlying limits.
Legal defense
Lawyer costs, often paid in addition to the umbrella limit.
Personal injury
Libel, slander and false arrest claims, depending on the policy.
Everyone in the household
Usually covers resident family members, including teen drivers.
Worldwide
Often follows you when you travel.
Interactive guide
Do I need an umbrella?
Select anything that applies to your household. Each one raises the chance of a large liability claim.
An umbrella is worth considering
2 risk factors raise the chance of a claim larger than your home or auto limits.
- Umbrellas usually start at $1M
- Check your auto and boat limits meet the umbrella minimum
- List every driver, home and boat
General information, not insurance or financial advice. A licensed broker can recommend coverage for your situation.
What affects your price
- 01
Number of homes
Each property adds exposure.
- 02
Number of vehicles
Including teen drivers.
- 03
Watercraft
Boats and personal watercraft.
- 04
Underlying limits
Higher limits underneath can lower umbrella cost.
- 05
Claims history
Prior liability claims.
- 06
Limit chosen
Sold in $1M steps; each step costs less than the first.
How it fits with your other policies
Gaps usually hide between policies. Your household dashboard checks how they line up.
Auto
Usually requires $250K / $500K underneath.
Home
Usually requires $300K liability underneath.
Watercraft
Usually requires boat liability underneath.
Umbrella insurance questions
How much umbrella coverage do I need?
Many people match their net worth, plus a cushion for future earnings. Umbrellas are sold in $1M steps.
What are underlying limits?
The minimum liability your home, auto and boat policies must carry for the umbrella to sit on top, such as $250K / $500K on auto and $300K on home. Each umbrella states its own.
What happens if my auto limits are too low?
The umbrella pays only above its required minimum. If your auto policy carries less, you pay the gap between your limit and that minimum yourself.
Does an umbrella cover my business?
Usually not. Personal umbrellas exclude business activities. A business needs its own commercial liability and commercial umbrella.
Do I need the umbrella from the same carrier?
Not always. Some carriers require your home or auto with them; others don’t. Keeping them together can make claims simpler and may earn a multi-policy discount.
Get umbrella coverage that fits the rest of your policies
Find a licensed broker who writes home, auto, watercraft and umbrella together.