Learn more about how negligence may be defined and involved in your insurance policy.
Most people assume that since they’re paying for insurance, they’re going to be covered in the event that anything happens, no matter why it happened. This isn’t always true. In many cases, insurance policies don’t have to pay out in the event of negligence on the part of the insured party. In short, negligence is a failure to do all that you’re supposed to do to prevent the situation, but it really can easily get more complicated. If you have questions about your policies and the possibility of negligence on your part that might keep you from being covered, you should talk to your insurer or seek the assistance of a reputable insurance broker. In the meantime, this summary may answer some of your questions.
What Is Negligence?
In short, negligence is when someone fails to do something they’re supposed to in order to prevent an accident or incident. For instance, a company that knows something is dangerous and fails to alert people could be seen as negligent. Likewise, a homeowner that doesn’t take care of their property and allows dangerous situations to occur would be negligent if someone were to get hurt on their property. For insurance purposes, being negligent in some way can make it so that your insurance doesn’t actually have to cover you or cover the damages.
What Are Some Examples Of Negligence?
If you’re confused about the issues of negligence, some examples where negligence would limit payout may help. For home owners insurance, if there is damage to your home resulting from a fallen tree, your policy may not payout if they find you negligent of your duty to maintain the tree. For example, if the tree is choked with ivy and has died, but you allowed it to stay up on your property, that would be negligence – because you’re not maintaining your property as you should. If that dead tree falls in a storm, your insurance probably won’t cover the damage because it is essentially your fault for not maintaining the tree.
Duty of Reasonable Care
If there is a stipulation in your insurance policy that you have some sort of action or upkeep that you have to do, this is typically considered a duty of reasonable care. This means that if you don’t do that duty, you’d be considered negligent if there are damages. If you’re not sure if you have this type of stipulation, an insurance broker could help you figure it out.
Partner with Malden Solutions Today
Malden Solutions has a wealth of expertise in providing employer insurance solutions, H.R. solutions, and individual insurance solutions to businesses both big and small. Our team of seasoned professionals can help you navigate the rapidly-changing world of insurance with ease. We partner with businesses and individuals throughout the country to provide our dedicated services for employee benefits but also work within our surrounding communities in Maryland, Northern Virginia, and Washington, D.C. Contact us today to learn more about how we can provide effective, dynamic solutions for your business. Stay connected with us on Twitter, Facebook, and Linkedin.