Does home insurance cover public liability

paulo1888

I know that generally home insurance does cover liability at the insured persons home but does anyone know if it is possible to have general public liability insurance that covers accidents, injury, damage etc no matter when and where it occurs. For instance if you cause accidental injury to another person at a location other than your own home. Many Thanks

InsideInsurance

Buildings insurance has public liability cover for you in connection with you being a home owner and so predominately will be on your property

Contents insurance also has public liability cover but this is more general personal liability cover and so will cover most of your private activity in and outside of your home but there are normally exclusions like the operation of boats, cars, dangerous dogs, things you do as an employee etc plus most wont cover you giving someone an STI/STD

Bantex_2

paulo1888 wrote: »

I know that generally home insurance does cover liability at the insured persons home but does anyone know if it is possible to have general public liability insurance that covers accidents, injury, damage etc no matter when and where it occurs. For instance if you cause accidental injury to another person at a location other than your own home. Many Thanks

If it was an accident, there is no liability.

Aretnap

Bantex wrote: »

If it was an accident, there is no liability.

Potentially there is, if the accident was a result of negligence on your part.

InsideInsurance

Bantex wrote: »

If it was an accident, there is no liability.

I was driving down the road, the car in front braked but I couldnt stop in time and accidentally went into the back of him

So there is no liability as it was an accident rather than intentional?

Bantex_2

InsideInsurance wrote: »

I was driving down the road, the car in front braked but I couldnt stop in time and accidentally went into the back of him

So there is no liability as it was an accident rather than intentional?

Definition of accident (in this case) is no blame. If the damage was caused by negligence, it is not an accident.

Buzby

An accident that could not reasonably be foreseen would we covered. One that happened due to the inaction (or stupidity) of the policyholder is another matter!

InsideInsurance

Bantex wrote: »

Definition of accident (in this case) is no blame. If the damage was caused by negligence, it is not an accident.

Which dictionary do you have that says that an accident means no blame?

The Oxford dictionary simply defines it as "An unfortunate incident that happens unexpectedly and unintentionally" - doesnt mention blame in there at all

You will sometimes see things being referred to as a "pure accident" meaning "acts of god" type accidents where someone has a heart attack at the wheel and crashes.

If your definition was true then Comprehensive car insurance would be fairly pointless as the accidental damage section would only cover you in non-fault accidents

Bantex_2

InsideInsurance wrote: »

Which dictionary do you have that says that an accident means no blame?

The Oxford dictionary simply defines it as "An unfortunate incident that happens unexpectedly and unintentionally" - doesnt mention blame in there at all

You will sometimes see things being referred to as a "pure accident" meaning "acts of god" type accidents where someone has a heart attack at the wheel and crashes.

If your definition was true then Comprehensive car insurance would be fairly pointless as the accidental damage section would only cover you in non-fault accidents

The OP is referring to third party liability. A policy will not pay out unless liability(blame) is ascertained.

You can insure yourself for anything, but not an unamed third party.

InsideInsurance

Bantex wrote: »

The OP is referring to third party liability. A policy will not pay out unless liability(blame) is ascertained.

That is correct, but you are incorrect to say that accidents are blameless and never have liability.

Bantex wrote:

You can insure yourself for anything, but not an unamed third party.

You cannot insure yourself for anything but there is a wide range of things you can insurer yourself for.

Most of us however do not get bespoke policies written but instead by off the shelf products like Motor which is made up of predominately Accidental Damage (AD), Fire, Theft and Third Party (ie TPFT + AD). If your definition of Accidental was correct that would mean the AD section only paid out in non-fault accidents. So if you rear ended someone you couldnt claim for your own damage on a comprehensive policy which is wrong, you can.

Bantex_2

InsideInsurance wrote: »

That is correct, but you are incorrect to say that accidents are blameless and never have liability.



You cannot insure yourself for anything but there is a wide range of things you can insurer yourself for.

Most of us however do not get bespoke policies written but instead by off the shelf products like Motor which is made up of predominately Accidental Damage (AD), Fire, Theft and Third Party (ie TPFT + AD). If your definition of Accidental was correct that would mean the AD section only paid out in non-fault accidents. So if you rear ended someone you couldnt claim for your own damage on a comprehensive policy which is wrong, you can.

I was using the word "accidental" wrongly. The point I was trying to make that that third party indemnity cover will usually require an element of blame.