Be A Common Sense Host This Christmas Season
It’s the Holiday Season and time for all kinds of parties and celebrations that bring family and friends together. Its extreemly important to maje sure your California home insurance is up to date and youhave the proper coverage for having guests in your home. A lot of these gatherings are in our own private homes. There is always lots of food, fun and often lots of alcohol to drink. Unfortunately, there is also a chance that accidents and injuries can occur, and that chance goes up when the alcohol flows.
We are all responsible for our actions, but as a host to one of these fun Holiday gatherings, you need to be mindful of any consequences of partying. As a host you get the credit for the fun that your guests have at a party, but you also bear partial or full responsibility for your guests who cause damage or injury on the way home from your party, if they have been drinking! In other words,you could be sued for contributing to losses caused by alcohol-impaired guests.
Although hosts are often found legally culpable for accidents; the brunt of responsibility has to be faced by the individuals who directly cause a loss. There would have to be strong evidence to support that you as a host were held financially responsible, since any involvement is indirect.
Your California home insurance policy may offer coverage if you has substantially contributed to a loss, by serving alcohol, but an insurer may be able to deny paying a claim for the following reasons:
- A gathering involves you, the host making an money
- You have paid bartenders at you event
- The party is thrown as a fundraising event
- You serve alcohol to minors, which is against the law
- You have knowledge that the guest was impaired and continued to serve alcohol
- You failed to make arrangements for impaired guests (designated drivers, taxis, lodging, etc.)
As a Host, you need to take this responsibility seriously and make sure that your parties are thrown responsibly, are done as a social event only, and that the chances of sending drunken guests on the road are minimized. A good host will make sure that food is available and that you control the alcohol supply so that impaired friends or relatives are prevented from endangering themselves or others. No celebration should end up with a lawsuit!!
