As a homeowner, you can be held liable for injuries that occur on your property. Generally, you're responsible if an invited guest or visitor is injured, particularly if it can be shown that the injury was caused by some negligence on your part. It's your responsibility to ensure that the environment around your home is safe, and you're expected to take reasonable precautions to protect any visitors from danger. In most cases, trespassers can't sue a homeowner if they're injured while trespassing on the property. However, a homeowner may be held liable if a child wanders onto the property and is injured. This is especially true if it can be shown that there was something on the property that enticed the child to trespass, for example a garden swing or swimming pool, and that the owner didn't exercise reasonable safety precautions. Generally, a standard homeowner's insurance policy includes liability coverage up to about $100,000 (one hundred thousand dollars), but many homeowners choose to carry a higher level of personal liability coverage. Many insurance companies offer so-called 'umbrella policies,' which offer personal liability coverage in excess of the standard home insurance policy. Such additional coverage is generally not expensive and can protect you in the event of an expensive lawsuit.
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