Sometimes, standard insurance just isn’t enough. Accidents can lead to lawsuits, and those lawsuits can exceed the limits of your Auto, Homeowners, or Renters Insurance. That’s where Personal Umbrella Insurance comes in; it helps provide additional coverage when your primary policies reach their limit.
At Brew City Insurance in South Milwaukee, we help individuals and families across the greater Milwaukee area add that extra layer of security. If you want to help protect your savings, home, future earnings, and peace of mind, an Umbrella policy may be a smart move.
What Is Personal Umbrella Insurance?
Umbrella Insurance is a type of liability coverage that works with your existing policies to help protect your financial assets. It kicks in when a covered loss exceeds the limits of your base policy.
For example, if your Auto Insurance liability limit is $300,000 and you’re found liable for $800,000 in damages, your Umbrella policy could help cover the $500,000 difference, depending on the terms of your policy.
It may also cover things that standard policies do not, such as legal defense fees or lawsuits for defamation or libel.
What Does Umbrella Insurance Typically Cover?
Umbrella policies are focused on liability protection. They generally include:
- Bodily Injury Liability – If someone is injured due to your actions and sues you, umbrella coverage may help pay for medical bills, lost wages, and legal costs.
- Property Damage Liability – May cover damage you cause to someone else’s property beyond what your standard policy pays.
- Landlord Liability – If you own rental properties, an umbrella policy may help cover claims related to injuries or property damage involving your tenants.
- Personal Injury Liability – May include protection against claims like libel, slander, false arrest, or invasion of privacy.
- Legal Defense Costs – Even if a lawsuit is groundless, defending yourself in court can cost thousands. Umbrella coverage can help cover these legal expenses.
What Umbrella Insurance Does Not Cover
Umbrella Insurance is not a substitute for regular insurance—it extends liability limits. It generally does *not* cover:
- Your own injuries or property damage
- Business-related liability (separate commercial policies apply)
- Intentional or criminal acts
- Liability assumed under a contract
We’ll walk you through these exclusions to ensure your expectations align with your coverage.
Why Consider an Umbrella Policy?
Lawsuits are more common than ever, and legal settlements can be unpredictable. You might face financial risk if:
- You’re at fault in a serious car accident
- Someone is injured on your property
- Your teenager causes a car accident with multiple vehicles involved
- You’re sued for defamation over a social media post
- A guest slips on your icy front steps and needs surgery
In these cases, the damages could easily exceed the limits of your standard policy. Umbrella coverage is designed to step in before your assets or income are put at risk.
How Much Coverage Do You Need?
Most Umbrella policies start at $1 million in additional liability coverage, and you can often increase that amount in $1 million increments.
The right amount depends on:
- The value of your home, savings, and other assets
- Potential risks based on your lifestyle (teen drivers, rental properties, pools, etc.)
- Your comfort level with risk
We’ll help you determine a realistic amount of coverage based on your life and financial picture.
Who Should Consider Umbrella Insurance?
Umbrella Insurance may be a smart option for:
- Homeowners with significant equity
- Families with teen drivers
- Boat, ATV, or motorcycle owners
- People with a high public profile
- Anyone who entertains guests or owns a swimming pool
- Landlords or those who own secondary homes
If you have assets you want to help protect—or simply want peace of mind—Umbrella Insurance can provide that extra reassurance.
Affordable Peace of Mind
Umbrella Insurance is often surprisingly affordable. For many households, $1 million in coverage can cost less than a few hundred dollars per year.
When you consider what’s at stake, it’s a relatively small investment for a potentially life-changing benefit.
Local Agents Who Understand Local Risks
At Brew City Insurance, we’re familiar with the neighborhoods, weather, and lifestyles in southeastern Wisconsin. From icy sidewalks in winter to social gatherings in the summer, we understand the types of risks our clients face.
As a local agency, we also welcome walk-ins. If you’d like to explore adding Umbrella coverage to your existing policies, just stop by. We’re happy to explain everything in plain terms—no jargon, no pressure.
Independent Means Better Options
Because we’re an independent agency, we can compare Umbrella policies from multiple insurance companies. We’ll help you find the right coverage, pricing, and policy details to fit your household’s unique needs.
Already have Auto and Home with us? Great—we’ll make sure your Umbrella coverage works seamlessly with them. Do you need to adjust a policy to make things fit? We can help with that, too.
Serving Families Across the Milwaukee Region
We provide Umbrella Insurance to individuals and families in South Milwaukee, Oak Creek, Cudahy, Saint Francis, Greendale, Franklin, Greenfield, Milwaukee, West Milwaukee, Hales Corners, Caledonia, West Allis, Shorewood, Glendale, Whitefish Bay, River Hills, Fox Point, Bayside, Brown Deer, Elm Grove, Wauwatosa, New Berlin, and Muskego.
No matter the size of your home or your bank account, protecting your future matters.
Why Brew City Insurance?
We’re a family-run agency led by Debra Larson and Danielle Cooke, and we believe in honest conversations, clear answers, and no-pressure guidance. When you work with us, you’re more than a policy number—you’re part of the community we live and work in every day.
Let’s Talk About Extra Protection
If you’d like to help safeguard your home, your future earnings, and the life you’ve worked hard to build, let’s talk. We’re ready when you are.
Because in the end, having the right insurance coverage means that the important things in life, such as your memories, milestones, and future, can continue for years to come.
