Do You Need Event Liability Insurance When Hosting a Party at Home?

So, you’ve sent out the invitations, ordered the food, cleaned your home and secured tables and chairs — you’re ready for your event … right? Not so fast!

By hosting an event at your home, you may be taking on risks you may not have given much thought to. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t host that July 4^th party, birthday bash or backyard barbeque, but you may want to consider some extra protection with event liability insurance, in addition to your personal home or farm/ranch liability coverage.

Fire Hazards

Hosting an event is fun and even rewarding, especially when you know you’re covered for the unexpected. Before you invite friends and family over for parties that include fireworks and backyard barbecues, prepare for the risks. To avoid personal injury and potential fire damage to your property or homes in the neighborhood, follow these fireworks safety tips. If your backyard party includes a barbecue, follow these simple grilling safety tips to make sure your home event does not become a health hazard. With safety measures in place, you can greatly reduce the risk of property damage or personal injury at your event.     

Kids & Pools

If you have the house on the block with a pool, kids in the neighborhood are eager to visit. If your child’s birthday lands in the summer months, a pool party is a likely choice over a trip to a local entertainment center or pizza joint to celebrate. Before your backyard pool party, brush up on pool safety rules and make sure your pool meets safety requirements. Even with careful planning, accidents can happen. Get the adults to take shifts supervising the pool to keep party-goers safe and make sure your pool safety equipment is up to date in case of an emergency.   

An Extra Layer of Protection

You might consider adjusting your insurance liability limits or adding an umbrella policy before hosting a big event at your home. An umbrella policy picks up where other liability coverages, like auto and homeowners limits, leave off. Think of it as an extra layer of protection.

Without umbrella coverage, if a guest were to trip on a crack in your driveway and injure himself or herself, you may not have enough insurance to cover their medical bills. Or if a guest were to become ill from food served at your event, you may be responsible for costs incurred due to the illness if they exceed your homeowners insurance limits.

For example, if your homeowners policy has a maximum liability limit of $300,000 but your guest wins a $500,000 judgment, you would be responsible for paying the $200,000 difference.

Host Your Next Event with Peace of Mind

Before you host an event, connect with your local Farm Bureau agent to discuss your event liability insurance coverage needs. For events where you have special circumstances, such as collecting fees or payments, having a specialized attraction or borrowing equipment you may need coverage that goes beyond your homeowners or farm/ranch and umbrella policies.