Personal Liability Insurance - Question

viny

Hi all,
I am renting a room in a houseshare to a private landlord and want to buy a personal liability insurance but seem to have trouble finding an insurer selling such product. I do not need to insure my personal belongings.

All I want is an insurance that would cover any cost if I were to be responsible for causing material damage or personal injury as a result of any type of accident happening in my home, in someone else's property and in any public area.

I know these costs could be enormous and would like to ask you for advice regarding the types of insurance available to me.

Many thanks in advance.

lisyloo

Why do you want this cover?

In a public place you would not be liable for any genuine accident, only for malicious or negligent acts (like you deliberately hit someone).

You don't own a home, so you wouldn't be liable for anything happening like a trip or a fall

It seems a little paranoid.
Exactly what type of scenario are you envisaging?

You liability level as a member of the public is very low.

StephenMarsh

Its your landlord that needs to have cover in place. If he has a good landlords or property owners policy then the liability will be covered in that as well as any damage caused by you or any other tennant.

viny

Thanks very much for your answers. The scenario I am envisaging could really be anything (and I know most of them are extremely unlikely). Among what could happen: accidentally setting fire to my house (and possibly injuring my housemates); running into an elderly person or someone else by accident on the street or a public place and causing serious harm, a disability or even death (it could happen in various unexpected ways although of course very unlikely). For example, a friend of mine got very seriously burnt when she was a child after one of her parents' friend accidentally dropped a large amount of boiling water on her face while cooking pasta. In such a situation, anyone causing the accident could be sued and asked to pay for very expensive private medical costs.
I should point out that I do not have any form of insurance so far.
Many thanks.

carrots12

I have also had this problem. I own (well with a big mortgage) a one bed flat which is leasehold - so my buildings insurance is part of my service charge. I have found it very difficult to get just public liabilty cover as an individual and so take out a very small amount of contents insurance policy that has public liabilty insurance included in it. This has worked out cheaper than gettin PL on its own.

It can be important to have. My Gran's home help slipped on a wet floor in her house and is suing her! (and the care agency)She has no contents/PL insurance and we are having to help fund her case, she could lose everything.
So I am now totally paranoid!

mattymoo

Buy a basic contents policy - cover for your computer, clothes etc. Even the most basic contents cover will cover your legal liabilities for the situations you described.

foggytown

lisyloo wrote: »

Why do you want this cover?

In a public place you would not be liable for any genuine accident, only for malicious or negligent acts (like you deliberately hit someone).

So the OP would never, ever do anything negligent in public? Toss a banana peel on the pavement and someone walking behind you slips on it. Open your umbrella and poke someone's eye out. Step on someone's foot in the underground and break a few toes. All easily do-able by anyone and all grist for the compensation mill.

You don't own a home, so you wouldn't be liable for anything happening like a trip or a fall).

What if the OP put down an old rug with curled edges that someone tripped over? What if he was serving a guest scalding hot coffe and spilled it in their lap?

It seems a little paranoid.
Exactly what type of scenario are you envisaging?

You liability level as a member of the public is very low.

Your liability level is whatever the judge/jury/arbitrator says it is any time your negligence injures someone. And remember, anyone can sue you for negligence - whether you are or not, or even whether the incident even happened or not.

I agree with mattymoo about buying a basic contents policy, which should have the public liability feature included.

lisyloo

On reflection I agree with you Foggytown.
It seems paranoid at first but in todays society I think you are right.
Cheers

rosszero

Similar to what Foggytown said, I didn't think much of it at first but after hearing some of the horror stories it doesn't seem overtly paranoid.

After a colleague told me what happened, I used https://www.versatileinsurance.co.uk, who are just down the road from me. Being a sole-trader, he invited a client over to his house who tripped up on a computer cable and decided to make a claim! Thank compensation culture for that!

It didn't come to anything but you have to remember, it takes time away from running a business and you have to cover the legal costs that crop up. Even that get's costly *sigh*.

viny

Thanks all for your answers and for the discussion it triggered. I think it is important indeed to realise that there is a difference between over-estimating the likelihood of something happening and wanting to be insured in case that thing happens.

I think I will go for a home contents insurance that all covers liability. Do you have any experiences or advice to share on that? I am looking for a serious and established company providing a comprehensive service (not just paying cash but also helping with claims and legal advice).

Thanks.

lisyloo

I think it is important indeed to realise that there is a difference between over-estimating the likelihood of something happening and wanting to be insured in case that thing happens.

You are absolutely right.
Statistical risk and consequences are different things.

I think I was underestimating the risk here as people will sue for anything these days.

I am afraid to say I haven't heard of any good ones.