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Yes! This is very important for a homeowner to understand. Your sidewalk is a part of your property, and anyone who slips or trips and gets hurt can sue you for failure to maintain it. If it snows, this risk is even higher because snow can turn to ice and become dangerous very quickly. Some towns will also require you shovel your sidewalk within a certain amount of time after a snowstorm – in my town, you must have it shoveled and sanded within 12 hours of daylight after the storm stops, and no more than 24 hours total. It’s important to check with your town to see their codes relating to snow removal.

If someone does slip and fall on your sidewalk and chooses to sue you, this is where your homeowner’s liability coverage will protect you. If you don’t have enough liability to cover this, the person who got hurt can potentially start coming after your assets to cover the remaining expenses.

We recommend homeowners get an extra layer of protection through umbrella insurance. This additional protection will kick in after your homeowner’s insurance (or auto insurance!) has been exhausted. You can typically get coverage in 1 million dollar amounts, and it’s usually only a few hundred dollars extra. Our insurance agents can help you check your homeowner’s coverage limits and add an umbrella policy.