A personal umbrella policy adds $1 million or more of liability protection on top of your auto and homeowners policies, and it kicks in when those underlying limits run out. For most California households it's surprisingly affordable — the first $1 million often runs roughly $150–$400 a year. If you own a home, rent out property, have savings to protect, or have a teen driver on your policy, this is the coverage that keeps one bad day from taking everything. Carriers do require minimum liability limits on your underlying auto and home policies first — we set both up together. Call 209-670-1556. Se habla español.
Think of your auto and homeowners liability coverage as the first line of defense. If you cause a serious accident, your auto policy pays for the other party's injuries and damage — up to its limit. The problem is that limit. In California, a serious injury claim can blow past a standard auto liability limit quickly: medical bills, lost wages, and legal judgments add up fast, and anything above your limit comes out of your assets — your savings, your home equity, even future wages.
A personal umbrella sits on top of those policies. When an underlying policy's liability limit is exhausted, the umbrella takes over and pays the rest, up to its own limit — typically sold in $1 million increments. It also generally covers some claims your home and auto policies don't, like libel and slander.
An umbrella policy adds a million dollars of protection for roughly the cost of a tank of gas a month.
Want to know what a $1 million umbrella would cost for your household? Five minutes on the phone and we can tell you.
Call 209-670-1556An umbrella isn't just for the wealthy — it's for anyone with something to lose:
You rear-end another car on I-5 and the other driver needs surgery and months of rehabilitation. The claim settles well above your auto liability limit. Without an umbrella, the amount above your limit is your personal problem. With one, the umbrella pays it.
Your dog — friendly every day of its life — bites a visiting child. Facial injuries mean plastic surgery and a lawsuit. Home liability limits can go fast in a claim like that; the umbrella covers what's above them.
Your 17-year-old borrows the car and causes a multi-vehicle accident. As the parent and policyholder, the liability lands on you. This is exactly the household profile where we most often recommend adding an umbrella the same day the teen is added to the auto policy.
The main cost drivers carriers look at:
Umbrella carriers won't sit a million dollars of coverage on top of minimum-limit policies. Before issuing the umbrella, they require minimum liability limits on your underlying auto and homeowners (or renters) policies — commonly in the range of 250/500 on auto and $300,000 on home liability, though each carrier sets its own thresholds. If your current limits are lower, that's not a dead end: we adjust the underlying policies and place the umbrella at the same time, as one package, and the combined cost is usually far less than people expect.
Across our three California offices we've served 4,500+ active customers since 2013, and as an independent brokerage we place coverage with multiple A-rated carriers. For an umbrella, that matters twice: we make sure your underlying auto and home limits meet the umbrella carrier's requirements, and we shop your household's profile to the carrier whose appetite fits it. One call, and we handle the auto, the home, and the umbrella as a single coordinated setup — in English or Spanish.
Prefer to come in? Stockton — 956 W. Robinhood Dr (Mon–Fri 10am–6pm) · San Jose — 25 N. 14th St (Mon–Sat 10am–6pm) · San Rafael — 9 Vivian St (Mon–Fri 10am–6pm, Sat 10am–3pm).
It adds $1 million or more of liability protection above your auto and homeowners policies, kicking in after those underlying limits are exhausted. It generally covers bodily injury and property damage you're legally responsible for, and often claims like libel or slander that home and auto policies don't touch.
Often roughly $150–$400 per year for the first $1 million, depending on vehicles, drivers, teen drivers, rental property, and claims history. Additional millions typically cost less than the first. Call 209-670-1556 and we'll run real numbers for your household.
Yes — umbrella carriers require minimum underlying limits before they'll issue the policy, commonly around 250/500 on auto and $300,000 on home, varying by carrier. If your limits are lower, we adjust them and place the umbrella together as one package.
Homeowners, landlords, anyone with savings or assets worth protecting, families with teen drivers, and dog or pool owners. If a lawsuit above your policy limits would hurt, an umbrella is for you.
¿Quieres saber qué es el seguro paraguas personal (umbrella) y quién lo necesita? Preparamos esta misma guía en español — qué cubre, cuánto cuesta y cómo conseguirlo.
We'll check your underlying limits, run your household's numbers, and set up the umbrella with an A-rated carrier. Stockton · San Jose · San Rafael. Se habla español.