b'Home Sweet HomeUntil Someone Gets HurtY ouvejustmovedintoyournewhome,unreasonable conduct causing injury. If someone is andyourehavingafewfriendsoverhurt from dangerous conditions and situations you fordrinksandchitchat.Someonecause or had notice of, you may be negligent and spillstheirdrinkonatiledhallwayfloor.yourhomeownersliabilityinsurancewillpayfor Momentslater,anotherguestslipsonthespillthe injury. and falls, breaking their arm. Are you responsible for this injury? Your liability for negligence is based on a standard of care of a reasonable person for those who visit While your mortgage holder requires you to maintainyour property. The standard of care is tested by the fire and other property damage insurance, you canreasonableness of the actions of the homeowner and legallyownahomewithouthomeownersliabilitytheinjuredperson.Forinstance,youwouldtreat insurance.Butwhywouldyoutaketherisk?Fullan invited guest with more care than you would a homeowners insurance not only pays for propertyrandomtrespasser.Commonnegligenceclaims damage, it also pays for a lawyer to defend you andagainst homeowners come from unseen obstructions, pays the person making a claim against you if you arespills, ice on walkways from sprinkler overspray and found responsible. dog bites. Ifsomeoneisinjuredinyourhome,takephotosAlthough injuries in your home and on your property documenting the surrounding condition of the area.are sometimes unavoidable, there are things you can Think of it like a car accidentyou want proof thatdo to make sure your guests are safe.what may be claimed is what really happened. If the injured person only wants their medical bills paid,First, ensure all smoke, carbon-monoxide detectors mosthomeownersinsuranceincludespremisesandotherbattery-operatedhouseholdsafety medical coverage which pays injured guests withoutessentials have working batteries and back-ups. Test regard to fault up to the limit of coverage, usuallythe batteries at least every six months to make sure between $1,000.00 and $10,000.00. theres never a time youre unprotected. Keep back-up batteries out of the reach of children and pets, but If the injured person claims money damages aboveeasy to find when needed.yourpremisesmedicalcoverage,theymustprove youareliabletorecoverfromyourhomeownersThroughoutyourproperty,frequentlyinspect liabilityinsurancecoverage.Yourliabilitydependsceilings,wallsandfloorsforanyhazardousareas. onwhetheryouarenegligentdefinedasCheck for splinters in your wood floor, divots in your 62015 REACHINGOUT-CURRENT.indd 4 12/10/15 10:40 AM'