When married couples drive together there are situations where a spouse may be named as a negligent driver while their married passenger partner becomes injured or dies in an accident. With the more than ever technological temptations right at your fingertips while driving, optional spousal liability insurance coverage should be a serious consideration to be included in your auto insurance package.
Have you ever noticed your spouse checking his or her cell phone while driving, or even the occasional texting to a friend while driving? Does it seem to be a normal function for your spouse to adjust a radio station or turn to chat with a back seat passenger? Even combing his or her hair, or applying that last coat of mascara or blush…you know it is common sense not to do it, but it happens every day… DISTRACTIONS EQUAL DANGER… And sometimes, the distracted driver is your spouse.
The Supplemental Spousal Liability Insurance clause is available to all NYS married couples, and will protect the injured spouse when his or her married partner is the driver of the vehicle, is proven negligent and causes injury or death to the spousal passenger.
Perhaps you have not heard of it, but the SSLI insurance clause is extremely valuable for married couples in New York State. And trust us, the cost is generally minimal. It is designed to protect spouses where one is the driver, and one is a passenger where the driver is proven to be negligent and the cause of an accident. Coverage for this benefit is only available upon written request of the insured and by subsequent payment of the premium and approval by the insurer. New York State is strict in its notification requirements to make this coverage available to insured policyholders. Effective in 2003, insurance companies must notify their insured policyholders of the availability of this coverage once each year. Payment of the premium due after the insurance company’s acceptance of providing the coverage by the insurance company is necessary to put the coverage into effect.
New York State defines Supplemental Spousal Liability as Bodily Injury Liability coverage within an automobile insurance policy to cover the liability of an insured spouse because of injury or death to his or her spouse, even where the injured spouse must prove that culpable conduct of the insured spouse. Note that this supplemental coverage will be included within the bodily injury liability limits of the policy and does not increase these limits.
In summary, if one spouse is the cause of an accident which causes injury to the other spouse, and the couple had already purchased the additional supplemental spousal liability insurance, the injured spouse may be able to collect compensation from the insurance company to compensate them for pain and suffering incurred.
So remember, DISTRACTIONS EQUAL DANGER, and married couples can be protected from an unfortunate auto accident caused by their spouse at a minimal cost by adding SSLI to your insurance package. Without this coverage, know that if you are injured as a result of your spouse’s negligent driving, that you are not likely to be able to be compensated for your pain and suffering.
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