July 4th liability insurance issues for Los Angeles home and boat owners

July 4th presents serious liability insurance issues for Los Angeles home and boat owners. Planning a July 4th celebration near Los Angeles? Here are many reasons it would be smartest to take your guests to see one of the many professional fireworks shows in Los Angeles County.

You may be assigned at least a percentage of the liability for any injuries or other damages that take place on or near your property as a result of your July 4th festivities. You may be held financially accountable.

This is absolutely true if you own a dog or if your property has a swimming pool. Less obvious is your liability risk for July 4th fireworks that your guests let off on or near your property. If it is your property, then it is your responsibility to make sure all activities are done safely and legally. Each individual municipality in Los Angeles County and in the surrounding counties has its own regulations on individually let fireworks. Make sure any fireworks on or around your property are legal. Use extreme caution even if individual fireworks are legal in your municipality. Los Angeles is very dry, and fire danger is extreme.

If using fireworks near Los Angeles:
1) Make sure the fireworks are legal in your municipality.
2) Use extreme caution to protect lives.
3) Get liability insurance.
Contact your insurer and make certain you are covered for any injuries or other damage fireworks might cause.

If you serve alcohol or other drugs and your guests get in a car accident, fight, speed contest, or other dangerous incident at or after leaving your July 4th party, then you may be assigned at least a percentage of the liability for any injuries or other damages that result. You may be held financially accountable. This is especially true if you serve alcohol or other drugs to minors under the legal California drinking age of twenty one.

"If it's your boat, then it's your responsibility."

July 4th is one of the busiest days on Lake Havasu and other waterways near Los Angeles. Crowded conditions are dangerous, especially for water skiers. Just like you hear it in the California Department of Boating and Waterways commercials, "If it's your boat, then it's your responsibility." What you may not realize is, they mean it. It is your legal responsibility to make certain that everyone on and around your boat is safe. You have liability for any injuries or other damage that happen as a direct result of anyone's use of your boat. You will be held financially accountable. Also, in California driving a boat while intoxicated is considered "Driving Under the Influence" (DUI) just like driving a car while intoxicated. Don't do it.

Have a safe and sane 4th of July!