A properly chosen personal umbrella policy is the single best tool for
plugging many of the liability coverage gaps in underlying auto, homeowners,
and other personal policies. Determining insurance gaps and recommending an
umbrella policy that provides step-down primary coverage for the uninsured
exposures, subject only to the self-insured retention, is one of the most
important functions of personal risk management.
What makes this task particularly challenging is the lack of uniformity
among umbrella policies.1 Unlike most personal auto
and homeowners policies, which are fairly comparable, umbrella policies vary
dramatically. While they routinely offer coverage worldwide, in contrast to
underlying policies, their scope of coverage is defined primarily through
exclusions or attached endorsements, which vary from policy to policy.
Here are some examples from my client files of coverages normally excluded
by primary personal lines policies that are available with the right umbrella
policy. As we examine them, remember that each coverage will be provided by a
personal umbrella policy, unless it's specifically excluded.
Automobile-Related Coverages
Drive other car coverage: Coverage is provided for clients
who have no personal auto policy (PAP) and thus no automatic coverage when
driving nonowned cars. This coverage is valuable to someone who either has no
automobile at all or only a vehicle furnished by his or her employer. Since
underlying drive other car or named nonowner coverage is either expensive for
someone in this situation or even unavailable, it's best (and most
economical) to choose an umbrella policy that will provide step-down coverage.
About half the umbrellas I've looked at provide step-down coverage. If you
can avoid the need for underlying coverage, the money you save your client will
usually more than cover the cost of the umbrella policy for an entire year!
Here is my recommendation for those without a PAP of their own who rent or
borrow nonowned cars. If you do it frequently, buy a named nonowner auto policy
with the umbrella as backup. If you seldom do it, buy an umbrella policy that
covers it with no underlying insurance required.
Vicarious automobile liability coverage: This coverage is
especially good for clients who neither own nor drive cars (often elderly or
disabled people) but who receive rides from friends or family to shop, see
doctors, etc. Under principal-agency case law, such a passenger can be held
liable for accidents caused by the driver because the car was on the road for
the passenger's sole benefit. Again, it's important to choose an
umbrella policy that does not require underlying insurance for this
exposure.
Fellow employee liability coverage: This coverage is
desirable for those who drive a company vehicle and occasionally have coworkers
as passengers. If the driver's negligence injures a coworker who then sues
the employee, the employer's business auto policy usually will exclude
coverage for the "fellow employee" lawsuit. The employee injured on
the job will get financial compensation from the employer's workers
compensation policy, but there is nothing to prevent him from also suing the
negligent fellow employee driver.
The driver's PAP, meanwhile, excludes coverage for vehicles
"furnished or available for regular use." If the umbrella requires
underlying coverage, the extended nonowned endorsement must be added to the
insured's PAP, naming all drivers. If the company-furnished vehicle is the
only vehicle in the house, they will need to buy a named nonowner policy.
Auto liability coverage abroad: The umbrella provides
primary coverage for bodily injury and property damage liability (subject to
the self-insured retention) when the insured rents cars outside the PAP's
territory, which is the United States, Puerto Rico, and Canada. The territory
of most personal umbrellas is worldwide. This step-down coverage is provided
without underlying insurance requirements.
Caution: beware of limited worldwide coverage, which only
covers claims abroad if the lawsuit is brought in the United States or Canada.
There are two major umbrella writers that have that limitation!
Collision damage liability: This covers damage you cause to
a car you rent or borrow that is excluded by the PAP's "care, custody,
or control" exclusion. Granted, under most PAPs, collision coverage will
transfer on an excess basis to a rental car, but only if you have collision
coverage on at least one car. And again, under the PAP, there is no coverage
outside the United States, Puerto Rico, and Canada. The right umbrella policy
will cover collision damage you cause to a rented or borrowed car on a primary
basis worldwide, subject only to the self-insured retention (SIR).
The beautiful thing about an umbrella policy that covers your liability for
damage to a rental car is that it will also pick up claims for diminished
value—claims that are not covered by collision coverage.
If someone does rent a car abroad, I still advise them to buy the collision
damage waiver coverage from the car rental agency, keeping the umbrella as
backup coverage. It greatly simplifies the vehicle return process and helps to
avoid unnecessary delays in your vacation.
Auto contractual liability coverage: This covers the
obligation you assume when you sign a contract to defend and pay any judgment
against a rental car company—even if you aren't personally driving the
vehicle. (An example would be renting a vehicle on a business trip with a
coworker, where you sign the rental contract, but the coworker causes the
accident.) In this case, your obligation is to defend the rental company and
pay judgments against it, even if you have nothing directly to do with the
accident.
Auto contractual damage coverage: This provides coverage
for rental car damage that you did not personally cause but for which you have
agreed contractually to be liable (e.g., hail damage, theft, etc.).
Watercraft, Aircraft, and Recreational Vehicle Coverage
Nonowned watercraft liability coverage: Bodily injury and
property damage liability coverage is provided when you operate hired or
borrowed boats that are not covered by primary homeowners liability coverage
(e.g., 30-foot sailboats, houseboats, sometimes jet skis).
Nonowned watercraft legal liability coverage: Covers damage
to nonowned watercraft either caused by you or for which you have agreed to be
responsible under a rental contract.
Nonowned aircraft liability coverage: This covers your
liability for bodily injury and property damage to others when you charter an
aircraft with or without a crew. (It does not cover your legal liability for
damage to the aircraft hull. That coverage is available only through the rental
agency.)
Nonowned snowmobile, all-terrain vehicle (ATV), or recreational
vehicle (RV) bodily injury and property damage liability coverage:
Covers the liability for renting or borrowing these vehicles, none of which is
normally covered by primary policies. The properly chosen umbrella will step
down to the SIR and not require underlying coverage.
Nonowned snowmobile, ATV, or RV legal liability damage
coverage: Covers damage you cause to rental units as well as all other
damage you don't cause but for which you agree to be responsible under the
rental contract (e.g., weather-related claims). The umbrella policy is
excellent for plugging the gap created by the nasty care, custody, or control
exclusion for damage for which the insured is responsible. Choose an umbrella
that provides step-down coverage, with no underlying insurance required.
Premises Exposures
Heating oil tank pollution liability coverage: Coverage is
provided for liability for property damage and cleanup costs arising from
in-ground or below-ground heating oil storage tanks. Homeowners policies, of
course, exclude pollution liability claims.
Work-related home premises liability coverage: This covers
your liability for injuries to people entering your home for business purposes,
such as to a courier who falls while bringing you a package from your employer
and sues for injuries. Homeowners policies completely exclude business-related
lawsuits. This risk concerns people who either have home businesses or who work
on business at home. The exposure exists for probably half of all households,
and I find it's one of the most commonly overlooked risks when I review
homeowners policies for new clients. (Be careful with this coverage under the
umbrella policy. Sometimes, it's provided only if there's underlying
coverage on the homeowners. Yet, sometimes, even if underlying coverage
is added, the umbrella will not extend unless you ask for and pay for
a separate incidental office endorsement.)
Miscellaneous Exposures
Employers liability coverage: The exposure created by
employing domestic workers (e.g., nannies, handymen, or personal care
attendants) is completely excluded by underlying homeowners policies. Coverage
is available through some umbrella policies. Some require underlying primary
coverage, while others provide freestanding coverage, subject only to the
SIR.
Nonprofit directors and officers liability coverage: This
covers bodily injury, property damage, and personal injury claims arising from
your volunteer services on a nonprofit board of directors (church councils,
charities, condominium associations, etc.).
Assumed contractual liability coverage: This covers
others' liability that you assume by signing a personal contract. This is a
huge exposure because hardly anyone reads these "routine" contracts
and thus people pick up a lot of liability risk unknowingly. The following are
some examples from my client files in which I was able to find contractual
coverage in an umbrella policy.
- A wheelchair-bound client had an elevator installed in her three-story
home. The contract with the elevator maintenance company required her to
defend the company and pay judgments against it even if an injury was at
least partly caused by the company's own negligence.
- A restaurant's wedding reception contract required that the bride and
groom defend the restaurant and pay judgments against it, even for injury
caused by the restaurant's negligence (e.g., 50 guests getting seriously
ill from food poisoning).
- Four friends, all turning 50, rented a huge agricultural building on the
state fairgrounds for a big birthday bash. In the contract, my client agreed
to defend and pay any judgment against the state of Minnesota or the
fairgrounds for injuries or property damage, regardless of who was at
fault!
Each of these examples illustrates a major liability exposure that is
largely uninsured by primary liability coverage. Many such exposures are
excluded by some umbrella policies but are covered by others. To properly
manage risk, first determine which liability risks your client faces that are
not insured by his or her primary policies. Then find the umbrella policy or
policies that best cover as many of these uninsured risks as possible.
Comparing Umbrella Policies
To compare umbrella policies properly, create a framework by taking the
following steps.
1) Keep handy the most recent edition of the umbrella policy for each
insurance company you represent or have access to (e.g., via surplus-lines
brokers), including all mandatory endorsements for each state in which you
operate.
2) Research the differences among the policies and their endorsements. I
find using a spreadsheet works best. On the left side, I list all the possible
coverages an umbrella can offer that are potentially not covered by primary
insurance. Then I list the company names across the top. I read each
company's policy and endorsements and fill in a "yes" or
"no" under that company's name across from the potential
coverage. I add footnotes for any exceptions needing clarification.
I suggest that you send the spreadsheets to the various companies'
claims managers for confirmation that your interpretation of the coverage is
correct. Go to the claims manager who interprets policy provisions at claim
time rather than the underwriting manager.
3) Learn how to read and identify liability exposures in personal contracts.
I always read contracts for my clients to help them identify risks to which
they're unknowingly agreeing and to make sure their coverage will respond.
When possible, I recommend that they fax me the contract before they sign it so
that potentially adverse provisions can be negotiated or softened—and sometimes
even eliminated. For future reference, as well as for errors and omissions
protection, I scan copies of these contracts into the client's automated
file.
4) Create a questionnaire from your spreadsheet that will help you determine
which of the gap coverages available under umbrella policies your client
needs.
Choosing the right umbrella: Use your questionnaire to
determine where liability coverage gaps exist in a client's underlying
insurance policies. Use your spreadsheet to select the umbrella policy or
policies that best plug the gaps you've identified, then implement that
umbrella for your client.
Sometimes underwriters require the underlying coverage to be placed with
them as a condition of writing the umbrella. Covering the uninsured liability
exposures is critical, but getting the right umbrella policy often means
rewriting all the underlying insurance—usually a huge hassle for you and your
client. That's why for new clients—especially affluent ones—it's
important to first determine which umbrella policy affords the best gap
protection before shopping for the underlying insurance, so you can then place
the underlying insurance, if necessary, with the umbrella company. Catastrophic
gap coverage of $1 million or more is usually much more important for those who
serve on boards, rent boats, have an in-ground heating oil storage tank, etc.,
than any difference in premiums on alternative underlying insurance
policies.
Don't judge an umbrella by its cover: Over the years,
I've evaluated scores of umbrella policies. I've discovered that the
size of the insurance company or its advertising budget has little to do with
the scope and quality of its umbrellas. The most comprehensive umbrella
policies I've seen include those of several large companies, but they also
can come from smaller regional insurers that file their own forms. At one time,
I even found a surplus lines umbrella policy that was broader than almost any
primary market policy I'd ever seen, although the insurer eventually
withdrew it from the market.
Three of the worst umbrella policies I've seen have come from well-known
national insurers, often targeting more affluent personal lines clients with
comprehensive package policies. Two of these umbrellas were straight excess
policies offering no gap coverage at all. The other "umbrella" policy
was even more restrictive than the company's primary policies. It
wasn't even a straight excess!
Watch out for unannounced reductions in coverage on policy
renewals: Don't assume that because an insurance company has
always had a strong umbrella policy that it always will. For example, I know of
a regional insurance company that for years had one of the best umbrellas
I'd ever seen. But, without giving notice to agents or insureds, it began
using the more restrictive AAIS umbrella form on policy renewals and added
about a dozen more exclusions. Most states require that insurance companies
notify customers if they renew a policy with more restrictive coverage than the
original. That requirement doesn't seem to apply to personal umbrella
policies, unfortunately.
You can reduce the chance of this kind of surprise by noting on your
comparison form the edition date of all policies you're comparing. Then,
for a given policy, compare its edition date on your form to the edition date
of its renewal to determine if a new assessment is necessary.
Conclusion
Personal risk management requires a great deal of expertise in coverages and
contracts, a commitment to building a risk management framework, and a great
deal of additional time for each client. Nowhere is this truer than with
selecting the right umbrella policy. Yet, the risk management approach makes
such a huge difference in a personal lines client's welfare. It's
extremely professionally rewarding, and I wouldn't practice insurance any
other way.
This article originally appeared in the September 2007 issue of Property Casualty 360°. It has been
revised by the author. Jack Hungelmann's book, Insurance for
Dummies, contains much of this information and is available at your
favorite bookstore or online. For more information on his risk
management and insurance business, go to www.JackHungelmann.com, where you can check out sample
newsletters, brochures, and other articles written on various issues. For
background information, see Mr. Hungelmann's biography.