What is voluntary medical and property damage?

Most homeowner’s insurance policies have a contingency for voluntary medical payments and voluntary property damage payments. But what does that actually mean?

Voluntary Medical Payments coverage pays reasonable medical expenses in the year after an accident if you unintentionally injure another person or if they are accidentally injured on your property – even though you are not legally liable.

Voluntary Property Damage Payments coverage covers unintentional direct loss or damage you cause to somebody’s property – even though you are not legally liable. It can also cover loss or damage to someone else’s property caused intentionally by a minor child (12 years of age or under) in your care.

You don’t have to be legally liable to use either of these coverage options, and there is no deductible.

Reasonable medical expenses can include surgical, dental, hospital, nursing, ambulance service and funeral expenses incurred within one year of the date of the accident. The amount of insurance shown on your Certificate of Property Insurance is the maximum amount your insurance company will pay for each person in respect of one accident or occurrence.

Voluntary Property Damage payments cover what it would cost to repair or replace the property with materials of similar quality at the time of loss. Again, the maximum amount your insurance company will pay is shown on your Certificate of Property Insurance.

Your policy will outline all terms, conditions, limits and exclusions. At DPM Insurance Group, our brokers and CSRs will review your homeowner’s policy, or any other policy you carry, to help you ensure you have the appropriate coverage and fully understand what is and is not covered.