Maryland Liability Coverage Insurance

Anyone can make a mistake or have an error in judgment, so anyone has the potential to face a liability lawsuit. Even if the courts end up ruling in your favor, a liability lawsuit can cost you a lot of money in legal defense fees. That is why having the right liability insurance can prove so beneficial.

Whether you are looking for coverage for your car, business, or just general personal liability risks, independent insurance agents in Maryland can help. These agents can offer advice and can shop around to find you a reliable, yet reasonably priced, policy. Find an insurance agent near you to learn more.

What Is Liability Insurance Coverage?

Liability insurance is designed to provide coverage if you are unintentionally responsible for someone else suffering injuries, property damage, or financial losses. It can cover court costs, legal defense fees, arbitration fees, settlements, judgments, and other associated costs.

You will need to be sure that you have the right kinds of liability insurance in place to cover you against any types of lawsuits you may find yourself facing.

There are liability policies available to protect Maryland’s homeowners, renters, vehicle owners, and business owners. Independent insurance agents can advise you about which products are right for you and can help you find suitable coverage at a competitive price.

How Can I Get Personal Liability Coverage in Maryland?

If you own or rent your home, it is easy to get personal liability insurance. Liability coverage is included as a standard part of homeowners insurance and renters insurance policies.

The liability insurance included in your home or renters insurance policy is designed to cover you and the other members of your household if you are responsible for accidentally causing harm to others.

Here are examples of times that your home or renters insurance can cover you. 

• A guest is seriously injured in your home, and you can be held accountable due to negligence.
• A fire in your apartment kitchen gets out of hand and your apartment and a neighboring apartment are damaged.
• You accidentally hurt someone while away from home, such as if an errant golf ball hits another person while you are out on the course.
• Your child damages a neighbor’s picture window while throwing a football around.
• Your dog gets loose and bites someone. (Dog bites are the most common reason for personal liability insurance claims.)
• You are accused of libel or slander.

To learn more about how the liability coverage in your homeowners or renters insurance policy can protect you, you can consult a local independent agent.

How Much Liability Insurance Do I Need for My Car in Maryland?

If you own a vehicle in Maryland, you must have car insurance for it, and your policy must meet or exceed the state’s minimum liability coverage requirements.

In Maryland, your policy must include the following liability coverage.

• Bodily injury liability insurance: This covers the treatment of injuries you may cause to another person if you are responsible for a collision. Your policy must include coverage of at least $30,000 per person / $60,000 per accident in bodily injury liability coverage.
• Property damage liability insurance: This covers the cost to repair or replace other people’s damaged property if you are responsible for a collision. Your policy must include at least $15,000 in property damage liability coverage.

Although these minimum amounts may seem like a lot of coverage, if you cause a serious collision that involves multiple vehicles and/or significant injuries, your liability costs can easily exceed these amounts. If this happens, you will need to pay for the overages out of pocket.

That is why many vehicle owners in Maryland choose to purchase car insurance policies with higher liability coverage limits than the state requires. A local independent insurance agent can help you review your costs for different levels of liability coverage.

Business Liability Insurance

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What Kinds of Liability Insurance Can I Purchase for my Maryland Business?

If you are a business owner in Maryland, you know that liability protection is one of the most important parts of your business insurance coverage.

All business owners policies (BOPs) and business insurance policies include commercial general liability insurance, or “CGL,” as a standard part of their coverage. CGL is designed to cover some of the most common liability risks businesses face. Its coverage includes the following.

• Premises liability insurance
• Product liability insurance
• Advertising liability insurance
• Defense against accusations of libel or slander

The coverage offered by CGL is significant, but for many businesses, it isn’t enough to cover against all potential liability risks. An independent insurance agent can help you identify your company’s other liability exposures and can recommend the right products to cover against them.

Here are examples of some of the other commercial liability products your agent may discuss with you.

• Employment practices liability insurance (EPLI)
• Errors & omissions insurance / professional liability insurance
• Cyber liability insurance
• Commercial vehicle liability insurance
• Public liability insurance
• Environmental liability insurance
• Liquor liability insurance

Additionally, workers’ compensation insurance can protect your business against potential liability lawsuits related to injuries or occupational illnesses your employees may suffer while doing their jobs. With few exceptions, all employers in Maryland are required to carry workers’ compensation coverage.

Talk to an independent insurance agent to learn more about the products that can shield your Maryland businesses from losses related to liability lawsuits.

What Other Kinds of Liability Insurance Are Available to Citizens of Maryland?

Some residents of Maryland may have additional liability coverage needs. In some cases, your home or renters insurance can provide some coverage, but it may be too limited. Examples of some of the other liability products that are available include the following.

• Boat Liability Insurance: This is for owners of boats. It can provide coverage if you cause an accident while operating your vessel.
• PWC Liability Insurance: This is for owners of personal watercraft like Jet Skis and Waverunners. It can provide coverage if you cause an accident while operating your watercraft.
• ATV Liability Insurance: This is for owners of all-terrain vehicles like quads and side-by-sides. It can provide coverage if you cause an accident while operating your ATV.
• RV Liability Insurance: This is ideal for owners of recreational vehicles. It combines the liability coverage of a home insurance policy with the coverage of a car insurance policy since RVs are both homes and vehicles.
• Umbrella Insurance: This is an affordable way to significantly boost all of your liability coverage.

Local independent agents can advise you about any kinds of liability coverage that may be a good fit for you. Your agent can also shop around to find the best coverage at the most competitive price.

How Can I Find the Best and Most Affordable Liability Coverage in Maryland?

Residents of Maryland can turn to a local independent insurance agent for help when they are shopping for any kind of liability insurance coverage. These agents can answer your insurance-related questions, offer advice about what types of and how much coverage you need, and can find you a great policy at a reasonable price.

There are more than 200 independent agents with offices in Maryland. Set up a one-on-one consultation with an insurance agent near you to get started.