Picture this....👇
You're driving home from work during a torrential downpour, hit a wall of water, and your car begins to hydroplane. You hit the brakes, but your tires continue to slide as you collide with another vehicle. Unfortunately, the other driver is injured.
A lawsuit ensues...
Because he/she can never go back to work, they sue for lost wages, damages, and suffering. The total bill comes to $2 million. 💵
Your first line of defense is your car insurance. Let's say your limits of liability are $100,000 / 3000,000. What does this mean? Of the $2 million dollar lawsuit, your insurance carrier is on the hook for $100,000. They stroke a check and pay their share. The rest of the lawsuit -- or $1,900,000 -- comes out of your pocket.
Any assets not protected by law are up for grabs: bank accounts, taxable investment accounts, ect. All said and done, you still owe $1.7 million. That amount now becomes a liability.
In other words, $1.7 million of your future paychecks will go to paying off the lawsuit. That was money for a new car, a home, college savings for the kids, or for retirement. All gone...
Thankfully, this situation can be avoided with proper protection.
Umbrella insurance is excess liability coverage that stacks on top of your auto and homeowners. It comes in blocks of $1 million and provides additional protection that can help absorb the impact of a lawsuit on your balance sheet.
"Do I really need umbrella insurance? What are the odds this happens to me?"
Because these types of lawsuits are rare, insurance companies don't charge a lot to cover them. The premiums for umbrella insurance range from $150-300 per year per million of coverage. That's less than $1 a day to protect millions of future income!
That alone might seem cheap enough. Even still, it’s possible to further offset the cost. Depending on your accident record, consider raising your collision deductible. It’s one of the most expensive line items on your car insurance, and if you’re not turning in claims, your probably paying more for a low deductible you never use.
End result?
Have the insurance company on the hook for millions more in coverage while paying little to nothing out-of-pocket.
Stay Savvy my friends,
A lawsuit isn't the only risk to your income. What happens if you become sick or injured and can't go to work? Follow the link below to learn more.
Income Protection: Everything You Need to Know
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