If you or a member of your household damages the property of another person or causes injury or death to someone else, you may be liable to pay damages that can run into hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of dollars. That is another vital coverage that is part of your homeowners, condominium owners, mobile home owners, or renters insurance policy, and the damage, injury, or death is covered whether it happens on or off your property.

In the Military? Use the Judge Advocate
While on active duty, you have an excellent resource on your base in the Office of the Judge Advocate General. The lawyers there can recommend a course of action to protect your legal rights, but if you are sued as a result of your negligence, you will need good liability protection, possibly in excess of the limits of your homeowner policy. See the section below on an umbrella policy for additional coverage. You may not have known that the following situations are covered by your policy's liability protection. Protection is provided:

• if a liability happens as a result of your operating a boat



• if a liability occurs while you operate a motorized vehicle, registered or not, such as a riding mower



• for liabilities resulting from injuries to temporary employees, e.g., maids, babysitters, gardeners (but not permanent employees, for whom you will need an employer's liability policy)



• to protect you from the loss of wages in assisting the insurer defending a claim against you, up to a certain daily limit



• to reimburse you for limited first aid expenses to help injured persons covered by your policy, even if you are not liable for the injury



• to pay for damage from fire, smoke, or explosion to any rented property and its contents



• to cover legal, investigative, and court expenses required to defend any liability claim against you



• to protect you from a contractual liability unrelated to your business if you cause damage to property under a contract signed by you before you incurred a loss

Liability Doesn't Cover It All
Here are some features that are not covered under the liability section of your policy:

• acts you intentionally cause



• conveyance vehicles you use, (e.g., autos and aircraft)



• hazardous activities, such as, racing, jumping out of aircraft, and so forth



• any liability related to your business
  
  
• war



• any injury incurred in the act of providing, or refusing to provide, professional services



• any damage to property owned by you or anyone else covered by your policy



• any damage resulting from the gradual discharge of pollutants into the environment



• any illness, death, or injury to household employees that occurs after the policy period in which the illness, death, or injury occurred