After much pleading, the day has come. You finally bought your kids smart phones. Congratulations! Welcome to peace and quiet. Once the screens turn on, they won’t speak to you for days.
With all the silence, you get to thinking then realize that like many members of our younger generation, your kids are doing most of their communication virtually. And a lot of what they say is available to the public eye – in writing. Scary thought, right?
That fear extends much further than previously thought – your kids’ behavior on social media may put you at risk of being sued for libel, slander or defamation of character. How?
What you will learn:
- What type of online language could result in a lawsuit?
- What is personal injury?
- Personal injury insurance explained
- Why should you consider personal injury insurance?
- Personal injury insurance in relation to commercial insurance
When Online 'Trash Talk' Gets Out of Hand.
Kids often don’t understand that their seemingly innocuous online posts may cause another person emotional distress. If that person gets upset enough (or their parents do), you could find yourself brought into a personal injury lawsuit.
According to research conducted by DoSomething.org, 43% of of kids have been bullied online and 25% of them have been bullied more than once. It can happen to anyone. So can lawsuits.
What is Personal Injury?
Let's begin by clarifying that personal injury (not to be confused with personal injury protection or PIP) has nothing to do with physical harm to another person. That’s bodily injury. Personal injury causes emotional injury through spoken or written word.
Personal Injury Insurance.
The good news is that you can get personal injury coverage to others through your homeowners insurance or your umbrella policy.
Most carriers do not offer personal injury insurance automatically, so you should request it specifically.
If you purchase an umbrella policy, personal injury coverage may even provide coverage for invasion of privacy or wrongful eviction (relevant for landlords).
Why Should you Consider Personal Injury Coverage?
First, it’s dirt cheap! A person injury endorsement costs around $30 a year. That's like buying one cup of coffee each month! Price aside, let’s be honest... teenagers aren’t the only people who make mistakes. We all have a kid in us that says the wrong thing sometimes. A simple slip of tongue can get us into regrettable legal trouble.
Personal Injury Coverage ≠ Commercial Insurance
Just keep in mind that your personal insurance policies will never cover you for any activities related to business. So, if you own a car wash, don’t expect your homeowners policy to protect you when you tweet something mean about Davie’s Bubble Suds down the road.
If you also need personal injury coverage for your business, simply ask your commercial insurance agent if that coverage is available.
