Am I responsible if a burglar is hurt committing a crime on my property?

When you invite someone onto your property or into your home, you legally owe them a duty of care. If you don’t maintain your property so visitors can be safe, they may be able to sue you for their injuries.

You should understand premises liability laws when deciding how much coverage to get from Cross Creek Insurance serving Hope Hills, NC.  But what if the person who was injured was not there at your invitation, but came to commit a crime?

As a General Rule, No

The law does not protect trespassers from injury, so someone who comes to commit a crime, such as burglary, cannot normally recover for any injuries. However, this is not a punishment.

The reason the law does not protect trespassers is because property owners will normally have no way of predicting when trespassers will be there. Also, they will have no way to warn trespassers of specific hazards like loose floorboards or water.

Willful and Wanton Conduct

A normal trespasser may be able to sue you and win if he can prove that you should have been able to predict the trespass, such as when your place is commonly used as a shortcut. On the opposite end of the scale, you may be able to shoot a burglar if you felt the person was a danger to you or your family.

On the other hand, if you have something valuable and want to protect it, you cannot set a trap for the burglar. You will be responsible for the injuries of the burglar. You can also never use deadly force to protect property. You can consider all these issues when choosing a policy from Cross Creek Insurance serving Hope Hills, NC.

Commercial Property Insurance for Your Home Based Business

Working from home comes with many unique challenges. One of them is finding the right combination of insurance policies to cover your residential and commercial interests. What policies should a small business owner have for their home-based operation?

The Limits of Your Homeowner’s Policy

Your homeowner’s policy covers everything under your roof, right? Not exactly. Your personal property is covered. If you lose equipment that legally belonged to an incorporated business entity, your insurance company might refuse to pay.

Also, your insurance payout may not be enough to cover any costly equipment or inventory. Repairs or replacements would have to come out of your pockets. Insufficient cash flow is the number one killer of small businesses.

Renter’s insurance policies may not cover property that is stored outside of the building. If you use your yard as a work or storage space, you will need additional coverage.

Home-based business owners need separate policies to protect their business and personal assets. If you’re in the Hope Hills, NC area, the insurance experts at Cross Creek Insurance can help you find the right combination of policies to cover all your important property.

Coverage for Your Business Interests

Some common policies that home-based business owners may need include:

  • Business property coverage to protect your computers, machinery, and inventory.
  • General liability coverage covers your legal costs if your business is found liable for an injury, accident, or other loss.
  • Business interruption coverage pays you when you can’t work your business due to catastrophic loss.
  • Commercial auto coverage ensures your work vehicles.

Depending on the nature of your business, you may need additional policies or endorsements. Cross Creek Insurance serves the insurance needs of Hope Hills, NC area. Our agents can help you customize a combination of policies to protect your life, business, and property.