Home Insurance for Hosting the Big Game: Defend Your Home Turf From Party Fouls

If you're hosting the big game this Sunday, home insurance can be a safety net that protects against property damage, theft and personal injuries that might occur during the festivities. From repairing a guest-caused fire in your home to covering medical expenses for other mishaps, you can rest easy knowing that several types of damage and liability risks are covered by your home insurance policy.

Keep reading to learn more about insurance coverage for the big game as well as how to get the protection you need.

Key Takeaways If friends and family are gathering at your house to watch football this Sunday, home insurance can cover you for several types of property damages and liability risks. The dwelling and other structures portion of your policy will insure your home’s structure, sheds, fences and other detached structures. If any of your personal belongings are damaged during the party, your policy’s personal property coverage can pay towards the repair or replacement costs. Should your big game party get out of hand and one of your guests or your neighbor suffers an injury or property damage, your home insurance policy will cover your liability expenses. Keep in mind that you may need to pay a deductible if you file an insurance claim.

Does Home Insurance Cover My Home and Guests for the Big Game?

Your home insurance will cover you for certain property damages and liability during your big game party (or any time of the year for that matter), so rest easy knowing you’re covered for fire damage when grilling burger patties goes wrong or if a guest goes on a rampage after their team loses. Specifically, most standard home insurance policies include the following types of coverage:

• Dwelling: Insures the physical structure of your home against covered perils, such as fire, vandalism or certain weather-related damages.
• Other structures: Safeguards detached structures such as fences, garages and sheds.
• Personal property: Pays to repair or replace damaged items such as electronics, furniture and even your favorite sports jersey.
• Loss of use: If your home is uninhabitable due to a covered peril like a fire, loss of use coverage pays for living costs that exceed your daily normal expenses such as the cost of a hotel room.^[1] For instance, if your usual grocery bill is typically $1,500 but you spend $2,000 on dining out due to a hotel stay, you'll be reimbursed $500.
• Personal liability: If you’re held responsible for somebody else’s injuries or property damages, personal liability insurance will cover the resulting medical bills, replacement costs and legal fees if you are sued.
• Medical payments (Medpay): Covers an injured guest’s medical bills similar to personal liability insurance but is usually used for relatively minor injuries.

The below graphic shows examples of how each type of coverage might come into play:

Keep in mind that for any property damage claims you file, you will need to pay a deductible. For example, if your guest accidentally drives through your garage door and it costs $1,100 to replace and your deductible is $500, your insurance claim payout would be $600.

In addition, keep in mind that filing a homeowners insurance claim can result in your premium going up. As a result, you shouldn’t file a claim if the costs don’t exceed your deductible or only slightly exceed it. Otherwise, you may be paying more in the long run via higher premiums.

What Type of Coverage Do I Need for Hosting the Big Game?

Let’s look at some potential homeowners insurance claims that may arise at your party this Sunday and how you can work each type of coverage into your game plan.

1. A Guest Slips and Falls Out of Bounds Around the Pool

How you’re covered: Personal liability insurance or Medpay coverage

The fall hazards surrounding a swimming pool are plenty and if a guest suffers an injury due to a slip-and-fall, personal liability coverage can help cover their medical expenses. In addition, if that guest sues you for compensation, your home insurance policy would cover your legal fees.

Of course, personal liability insurance can extend to all types of slip-and-fall incidents. For example, if a guest slips on your rug during the halftime show and suffers a relatively minor injury, Medpay coverage can cover their medical bills, usually up to $1,000 to $5,000.^[2]

2. Your Guests Are Ejected After You Find Items Missing

How you’re covered: Personal property insurance

When you have several guests over, there’s always a risk of some of your things going missing. Fortunately, theft is a covered loss in a home insurance policy, so your personal property coverage should cover the lost items.

However, there may be limited coverage for high-value items or collectibles. So, if your autographed football was snatched during the game-time excitement, you will likely need a scheduled personal property endorsement to cover its full value.

3. A Guest Drives Their Car Into Your Neighbor’s Fence or Yard

How you’re covered: Personal liability insurance

The big game can stir a frenzy into football fans and it may unfortunately translate into their driving. If your guest accidentally hits your neighbor’s fence or damages their lawn ornaments, then your personal liability insurance should cover the damages.

4. One of Your Guests Gets a Game-Ending Injury on the Grill

How you’re covered: Personal liability insurance or Medpay coverage

Barbeques and watching the big game go together but grill-related accidents can sometimes happen. If one of your guests accidentally burns themself on or around the grill, you can look to your medical payments coverage or personal liability insurance to cover their medical bills. Be especially mindful if there are children running around.

On that note, do not leave an open fire unattended. The best insurance claim is one you don’t have to file.

5. Your Guests Go Too Far Offsides and Knock Over Your TV

How you’re covered: Personal property insurance

Imagine, for instance, a wayward Hail Mary thrown in a moment of halftime fun accidentally knocks over your television. Hopefully the TV is still salvageable so you can watch the rest of the game but if it needs replacing, then your personal property coverage should foot the bill.

6. An Opponent Attempts To Block Your Field Goal With the Trampoline

How you’re covered: Personal liability insurance or Medpay coverage

Trampolines are good fun, especially at any football watching party, but a bad play can easily result in somebody falling and injuring themselves. Whether it’s a sprained ankle or a broken bone, your policy’s personal liability insurance or medical payments coverage can take care of the bill.

7. A Guest Leaves Drunk

How you’re covered: Personal liability insurance

All party hosts need to factor in the possibility of liability if someone leaves their party drunk. Certain states have what are called social host liability laws, meaning you may be deemed liable for certain actions taken by drunk guests of your party.^[3] Again, your liability coverage should help with the fallout should a tipsy guest accidentally drive through your neighbor's fence. It's best just to use a ridesharing service for anyone who's had a few drinks and not let them drive home.

8. Cigarette Embers Make an Unwanted Touchdown

How you’re covered: Dwelling insurance, other structures coverage, personal property insurance, loss of use coverage

Rest easy knowing that fires are one of the perils covered in a standard home insurance policy. For example, say a friend flings an almost-finished cigarette onto dry grass instead of extinguishing it in an ashtray and it causes a fire that spreads to your home. Fortunately, the fire was contained but your fence and the side of your home were burnt to a crisp.

In this case, other structures coverage should cover replacing your fence and dwelling coverage should cover the cost to rebuild your wall. Meanwhile, personal property insurance should cover any items that were damaged in the fire.

However, if that fire were to spread further, rendering your home completely uninhabitable, then loss of use coverage would come into play. This insurance will pay for costs that exceed your daily living costs, such as hotels and meal stays, while your home is being rebuilt.

9. Your Team Loses

How you’re covered: You’re not. Better luck next time!

While homeowners insurance can cover a wide range of losses, that coverage will not extend to your team losing. Unfortunately, that is a loss you will have to pay out of pocket.

In other words, if you made any bets and your team loses, you will not be reimbursed by your home insurance company.

How Do I Get Home Insurance if I'm Hosting the Big Game This Sunday?

Fortunately, your homeowners insurance already covers many of the risks unique to hosting a party for the big game so you don’t need to buy a separate insurance policy. That said, if you’re looking for a cheaper home insurance policy, shopping around and obtaining three to five quotes from different providers is a smart approach.

However, calling insurance companies individually and providing each with specific insurance about your home can be tedious — especially if you’re already busy preparing for the upcoming party. Instead, save time using SmartFinancial. Click here to fill out our quick questionnaire about your coverage needs and get your free home insurance quote today.