Hiring Someone to Work on Property - Liability

[fried1765]

If OP buys an umbrella policy, he should read it carefully to see the limitations of coverage, especially with regard to his employees. Knowing insurance companies, they have escape clauses a mile wide, maybe even including what constitutes a "qualified employee" . For example, last time I looked at mine, it specified separate liability coverage minimums on my auto policy before their umbrella coverage applied.

As I understand them, ALL umbrella policies require underlying coverage.
The term "umbrella" is used to describe coverage ABOVE (like an umbrella?) your underlying policy coverage.

 

[rv7charlie]

It's been about 25 years since I ran an active business. Back then, in my state, the owner where the work was occurring was responsible for workers' comp coverage of the worker. What that actually meant was that if you were smart, you asked the contractor to show you his certificate of workers' comp insurance coverage. (Almost nobody did that.) If he has a policy, you're protected from workers' comp claims. If you fail to ask or take his word and he lied, and someone got hurt you were responsible for his workers' comp benefits if he got hurt.

Above has nothing to do with any liability litigation, but don't forget that your best friend may sue you if they hurt themselves while visiting you, or even your best friend's *insurance company* suing you after they pay his medical bills ('subrogation').

Hey, if you cross the street, you could get hit by a bus. Risk...Benefit... We all have to pick our comfort zones. I, and everyone I know, uses teenagers to help out fairly frequently.

 

[two_bit_score]

@Username Taken, the high claims cost in Detroit drive statewide premium increases.

 

[marhar]

I am SLOWLY learning that if I am to keep my sanity I need to hire people to help me in life. My goal for the summer is to keep the weeds on my property at bay all summer long Last summer it was a mess, I was too busy with my shop build and the weeds got out of control. All fall I would walk around and end up with a hoodie full of burrs.

I am a school teacher and I plan on hiring one of my responsible enterprising students to weed eat at the property this summer. My question is about liability. I am assuming liability is lessened if you are paying that person to work at your property. Am I correct in this assumption? I do not think he is necessarily going to get hurt, just curious.

Unfortunately you would be liable for their injury. I DO NOT sell insurance. However, here is a copy and paste. I agree with the response regarding an umbrella policy. They are typically cheap for the amount of coverage.

As for the response asking why you would hire a teenage: I am in my 50's and glad I learned how to work and make money as a teen. I did mow a few yards and it taught me the value of work.

The importance of liability insurance for homeowners​

You should care if the person mowing your lawn is not insured, especially if you do not have adequate homeowner's insurance. Whenever you hire someone to perform a service in or around your house, including a teenage babysitter or your neighbor's kid who wants to mow your lawn, you open the door to a potential legal headache should that person be injured. Depending upon the circumstances, you might be financially liable for any injury or resulting disability.

​

 

[Username Taken]

@Username Taken, the high claims cost in Detroit drive statewide premium increases.

Even though they're not supposed to, they often do.

In my State, Florida, our rates are certainly no bargain but we have areas that are cheaper than dirt and areas that are more expensive than anywhere in Dee-troit. We're over twice the size of Michigan, population wise but smaller area wise. Texas is huge. The population is spread out, plus, their people actually know how to drive.

It goes by area. Areas drawn up by the Companies based on Claims Experience. Over 100 of them in the State last I checked (20 years ago). Maybe double that. Lots of them, anyway.

Like in one area of Dade County, Comprehensive is unGodly expensive because there are so many stolen cars there. In other areas, Uninsured Motorist is off the charts because of all the fraud. My area, the Collision is expensive because the people just simply can't drive. And we have millions and millions of people on the roads down here that don't know where they're going (touristas) and have different driving habits. Like a New Yorker is gonna have different driving habits than a guy from Rural Ohio.

Not only that, we have people driving down here that have Insurance Companies that don't do business in our State. They get in an accident, the Cops get all the information but they turn around and kip town. What are you gonna do about it? They pay the criminal (code, actually) fees but when our Insurance Company comes looking for restitution, they tell them to pound sand. And if we want to subrogate, we have to go to THEIR State and.... Good luck with that. So, that gets cost-shifted onto our policyholders, too

The areas are supposed to be Experience Rated.

Michigan? I don't know what's going on up there but the whole State is expensive. Even in areas populated exclusively by bunny rabbits and raccoons.

I have a place in Michigan and I like it. I like the people and I like the small-town-feel of where I am. But there's just something in the water up there. I don't get it. The people they vote into office just amaze me. Unbelievable. I don't see how the citizens manage. Half the State is on welfare of some kind.

I could almost see building my next home there but then I wake up and realize..... You can't afford to live there anymore. It's nuts. Property taxes on my dumpy (and trust me, it is dumpy) little farm up there are over $3,600 a year. While I'm paying $1,200 a year on my $350,000 house in Fort Myers.

Michigan is nuts

 

[two_bit_score]

@Username Taken you are lucky that the tourists in Fla. pay enough taxes that offset property taxes.

Can you get a farm or agricultural exemption on your farm in MI?

 

[MoKelly]

@Username Taken you are lucky that the tourists in Fla. pay enough taxes that offset property taxes.

Can you get a farm or agricultural exemption on your farm in MI?

Not only low property taxes but no state income tax in Florida.

Florida does have more that it’s share of billboards advertising liability lawyers!!

MoKelly

 

[Username Taken]

@Username Taken you are lucky that the tourists in Fla. pay enough taxes that offset property taxes.

Can you get a farm or agricultural exemption on your farm in MI?

Tourists don't really pay their way for the average citizen of Florida to benefit anything from them.

For Big Corp? Oh yeah. For Wally World? Yup, they're making a fortune. Airlines, rental cars, Resorts, Restaurants, Theme Parks, Cruise Lines, virtually all of which is owned by Big Corp.... Yeah, they're getting as fat as a Baptist Minister at an All You Can Eat Brunch

For the average Citizen? No way. Not even close. They use far, far more in infrastructure than they pay in taxes. Which is actually very little believe it or not. They're here for a few days, spend all their money in Hotels, at the Parks, etc. They use the Roads, hospitals, police, food, energy...... We did a study on it a few years ago, they're actually a net loss for the average citizen.

Then they fall in love with the place, decide they like it a bunch more than the socialist craphole they came from, rent a crackerbox, try to make it down here and discover -- It's difficult. Florida is a hard place to make a living. They expect you to actually, you know -- Work! A foreign concept to many.

The older ones come down here and pollute our beaches with cellulite, Jackie-O Sunglasses and fat. White fat. Glistening fat. More glare than staring straight into the Sun-fat. And attitudes. Me-First attitudes with most of them. Like about 90% of them. We got a saying, "They come down with a $5 dollar bill and a pair of jeans. And don't change either one before they leave." The County Commissioners actually had the local Cops, many years ago (30-35?) pull people over and warn them because every 3rd car had a Bumper Sticker that said, "NEW YORK SUCKS!"

It's a thing.

And fat. Did I mention Fat? Lots and lots of fat. Oh, and Shorts with flip-flops and socks or worse, boat shoes and gym socks.

And complaining. They LOVE to complain: "My Cousin Oiving has a place in Joisey where I can get this at half this cost!" Good, go back there

They don't do squat to offset our taxes. We have low taxes because we ran the thieves out of Dodge years ago.

No, I can't get a Farm Exemption. Looked into it. Waste of time. Florida? Oh heck yeah. All you needed was 5 acres and one head of livestock. In fact, I knew a guy that was in the business of renting Cows out to people so they could satisfy the Inspector when he came by. Not sure about now. I doubt it's changed.

 

[MoKelly]

Tourists don't really pay their way for the average citizen of Florida to benefit anything from them.

For Big Corp? Oh yeah. For Wally World? Yup, they're making a fortune. Airlines, rental cars, Resorts, Restaurants, Theme Parks, Cruise Lines, virtually all of which is owned by Big Corp.... Yeah, they're getting as fat as a Baptist Minister at an All You Can Eat Brunch

For the average Citizen? No way. Not even close. They use far, far more in infrastructure than they pay in taxes. Which is actually very little believe it or not. They're here for a few days, spend all their money in Hotels, at the Parks, etc. They use the Roads, hospitals, police, food, energy...... We did a study on it a few years ago, they're actually a net loss for the average citizen.

Then they fall in love with the place, decide they like it a bunch more than the socialist craphole they came from, rent a crackerbox, try to make it down here and discover -- It's difficult. Florida is a hard place to make a living. They expect you to actually, you know -- Work! A foreign concept to many.

The older ones come down here and pollute our beaches with cellulite, Jackie-O Sunglasses and fat. White fat. Glistening fat. More glare than staring straight into the Sun-fat. And attitudes. Me-First attitudes with most of them. Like about 90% of them. We got a saying, "They come down with a $5 dollar bill and a pair of jeans. And don't change either one before they leave." The County Commissioners actually had the local Cops, many years ago (30-35?) pull people over and warn them because every 3rd car had a Bumper Sticker that said, "NEW YORK SUCKS!"

It's a thing.

And fat. Did I mention Fat? Lots and lots of fat. Oh, and Shorts with flip-flops and socks or worse, boat shoes and gym socks.

And complaining. They LOVE to complain: "My Cousin Oiving has a place in Joisey where I can get this at half this cost!" Good, go back there

They don't do squat to offset our taxes. We have low taxes because we ran the thieves out of Dodge years ago.

No, I can't get a Farm Exemption. Looked into it. Waste of time. Florida? Oh heck yeah. All you needed was 5 acres and one head of livestock. In fact, I knew a guy that was in the business of renting Cows out to people so they could satisfy the Inspector when he came by. Not sure about now. I doubt it's changed.

Gosh. I’m glad I am a skinny guy coming down to Fla.!!!!

I can only live there 5 months of the year. If I could make 6 months and a day I’d save some state income taxes - but, I can’t.

Rest of the time - it’s very very very hot and humid. Not livable outside.

Maybe if I had a cow I could claim residency —— ?

MoKelly

 

[Username Taken]

Gosh. I’m glad I am a skinny guy coming down to Fla.!!!!

I can only live there 5 months of the year. If I could make 6 months and a day I’d save some state income taxes - but, I can’t.

Rest of the time - it’s very very very hot and humid. Not livable outside.

Maybe if I had a cow I could claim residency —— ?

MoKelly

You've got yourself convinced, it's not my place to try to change your mind.

I'm sure you're gonna love the downtown area this Summer. Have fun