Is this covered??? Insurance tips from April: Congratulations to all the 2017 Graduates!

Congratulations to all the 2017 Graduates! If you are planning to host a graduation party please make sure to check your insurance before hand. You do NOT want to spend your college savings to pay for an uncovered loss. There are a ton of helpful tips from Gloria Allred on www.lawyers.com about legal tips for parents:

Don’t Serve Alcoholic Beverages to Minors and/or Inebriated Guests

An adult serving alcoholic beverages to a minor is subject to the possibility of criminal prosecution for aiding and abetting the delinquency of a minor. They are also subject to civil claims for damages for negligence - claims that can be pursued by both the minor and the minor’s parents.
If the host serves alcoholic beverages to guests of legal drinking age that are clearly inebriated and that intoxicated guest injures a third party, either on or off the host’s premises, the host is liable for injuries under the legal theory of negligence and breach of duty of due care.
It’s highly recommended that the host of the graduation party have a strict policy against underage drinking – the graduation party should be well chaperoned to enforce this “no drinking by minors” policy.

Know the Social Host Liability Laws in your State

Most states have “social host liability” laws that hold the host of a social function (like graduation parties) liable for damages caused to others after serving alcohol to minors and/or inebriated guests on his/her property.
For example: If there is an open bar at the graduation party and one of the guests becomes drunk and leaves the premises in his/her vehicle and injures someone – that injured person can sue both the driver AND the host of the party for negligence and/or potentially recklessness with the resulting exposure to the host of substantial monetary damages as well as the possibility of punitive damages if the host served the guest in an inebriated state.

Protect Guests from Hazardous Conditions on your Property

The host of the graduation party may also be liable for injuries that occur during the party as a result of negligent maintenance of the home (e.g. large cracks in the deck, unsafe steps, electrical problems etc.).
For example: If there are exposed wires on the floor and a guest trips on the wire while dancing and injuries himself/herself, the host is liable for the injury and may face a potential civil lawsuit because they failed to warn the guest of the danger and/or failed to take reasonable precautions to avoid the injury.
These precautions include conducting a thorough inspection of the graduation party premises to repair any defects or clear any obstacles which may increase the risk of an accident/injury to guests. If something cannot be prepared in time for the party, clearly label the area as a “danger zone” to avoid any claims for negligence.
In addition, party hosts should make sure that he/she has adequate homeowners’ insurance to cover any injury sustained by a guest while on his/her property. Make sure to read insurance policies to ensure that the coverage is not only current, but has adequate policy limits to meet any potential claims that may arise if a guest is injured while on the host’s property.