Do I need public liability insurance for my home?
Public liability insurance is intended for businesses, but what type of coverage protects you if a guest is injured at your home? You may already be covered under an existing policy for claims that occur on your property.
What is public liability insurance?
Simply put, public liability insurance is designed to protect businesses when they are liable for negligence. This insurance covers third party death or injury. According to the Australian Government, it can come into effect if a business causes the following:
- Property damage, including fire.
- Injury or death (for example, if a business' food makes a customer sick).
- Nervous shock including emotional distress or a recognised psychiatric illness
- For some businesses, public liability insurance can also cover negligent advice, such as telling a customer a generator can power their business during a power outage and it subsequently does not, causing the company to experience a loss.
- Consequential loss (where your business' negligence causes another business to lose their expected revenue).
For certain types of businesses, public liability insurance is compulsory.
Do I need public liability insurance for my home?
Public liability insurance tends to be less relevant for a private home, but it's still a good idea to have some form of liability coverage. The coverage designed to protect you and your family against claims is called legal liability cover. Often, legal liability coverage is part of your home and contents insurance. It's just one more reason why home and contents insurance is important.
At Australia Post, legal liability cover is included in your home insurance policy, your contents insurance policy, and naturally, your Home and Contents Insurance policy.
Get great value home, contents or landlord insurance
Because we reckon affordable, quality cover is something every Australian deserves.
About legal liability coverage
As mentioned, legal liability coverage can protect you or your family member for claims that might be made against you or them. Australia Post can pay a maximum of $20 million coverage (including legal costs and GST) per accident, less any applicable excess. With Australia Post legal liability coverage, the following applies:
Legal liability cover for those with home insurance
Legal liability is covered for owner or owner-occupier of a home. This covers for death or physical injury to others, or the loss of or damage to other people's property when caused during an accident. Coverage applies only if said accident occurs at the insured address and during the insurance term.
Legal liability cover for those with contents insurance
Legal liability for death or physical injury to other people, or the loss or damage of others' property caused during an accident is covered. This legal liability does not cover you as owner or owner-occupier of a home. This accident can happen anywhere within Australia, but it must occur within the term of your insurance policy. Your body corporate may already have legal liability coverage for death, injury, or property damage. If your contents are located in such a home, Australia Post will cover you to the extent that your legal liability as owner or owner-occupier is not covered by the body corporate's coverage. The incident must occur at your home or within the common areas next to your home. It must also occur during the term of your insurance.
Australia Post will also cover reasonable legal costs incurred with our prior written consent. You must inform us if you expect to incur these charges before making a legal cost cover request.
