Does homeowners insurance cover personal injury?
Premises Liability - July 20, 2023
Homeowners are often required to purchase homeowners insurance as part of their mortgage requirements. When an individual suffers injuries on your property, your homeowners insurance policy may be able to offer some financial protection.
However, getting the insurance company to compensate you according to the terms of your policy could prove to be more challenging than you thought. Your Chicago premises liability lawyer can help you protect yourself when injuries occur on your property and understand how your policy works.
Will homeowners insurance cover personal injury damages?
Homeowners insurance personal injury cases are often notoriously difficult. This is because even though your homeowners insurance policy is supposed to cover certain personal injury damages, the insurance company will do everything it can to avoid paying out on the claimant’s claims.
Even if you purchased a policy and are hoping to file a claim with your personal insurance provider, do not be surprised if the insurance company refuses to settle your claim fairly until you get legal representation. While your homeowners insurance is supposed to cover personal injury damages, unfortunately, getting the insurance company to hold up their end of the bargain is often challenging.
Common types of homeowners insurance claims
Some of the most common types of homeowners insurance claims that may apply through your liability policy include:
- Fires and electrocutions
- Overcrowding
- Injuries caused by poor lighting
- Slip-and-falls
- Battery, assault, and other intentional acts of violence
- Negligent security
- Parking lot accidents
- Dog bites and attacks
- Stair accidents
- Trips and falls caused by debris and walkways
- Trips and falls caused by broken pavement
- Loose carpeting accidents
- Escalator or stair accidents
- Injuries caused by broken railings
- Exposure to toxic chemicals on your property
You may even have existing coverage if you are away from your property. For instance, if you have a dog and your homeowners insurance policy is designed to cover dog bites or attacks, you may have the right to file a claim with your insurance policy or that of the dog’s owner, depending on the specific details of your case.
How to file a homeowners insurance claim
Filing a homeowners insurance claim may be one of the best ways to recover certain types and amounts of damages after an accident. But does homeowners insurance cover personal injury to the homeowner? The answer is not always clear.
In some cases, your homeowners insurance is designed to cover you in the event of an accident. Other times, your policy is designed to protect you if injuries occur on your property.
When you are interested in filing a homeowners insurance claim, you should:
- Review your insurance policy details
- Hire a personal injury attorney to advocate for you
- Report the accident to your insurance company
- Negotiate with insurance adjusters
- If insurance is not sufficient, prepare to go to trial
Want to know more about homeowners insurance and personal injury? We can help.
Although your homeowners insurance coverage may be paid in full, this does not mean the insurance company is going to settle your homeowners insurance claim without a fight. You can expect the insurance company to do everything in its power to reduce its financial liability.
Take steps to protect yourself and hold the insurance company accountable when you contact an experienced Chicago premises liability lawyer from Horwitz, Horwitz & Associates. Our firm offers 100% free consultations to injury victims and those being taken advantage of by insurance companies. Claim yours when you fill out our quick contact form or call our office at (800) 985-1819.
