Planning a noisy party on New Year’s Eve? But it’s not nice when the celebration is a little violent and you realize the next morning that the red wine stain on the designer sofa and the burnt hole in the carpet weren’t there the night before.
Who pays the damage?
1. Table bomb
Instead of whistling and spraying bubbles, the lit table bomb spins twice on its axis and then falls onto the carpet, causing a burn hole. As a tenant, you are responsible to the landlord for damage to the carpet. This is where personal liability insurance can help: it covers the damage. If the carpet belongs to you, you can report the damage to the household insurance.
2. Champagne cork
At a real party, you’d also like to have a toast. Carefully loosen the wire around the champagne cork. But this time it flies off before you’re ready and crashes into a guest’s face. You are extremely lucky: Your guest’s eyes and nose are intact, but his glasses are broken. You can apply to your personal liability insurance for this damage. It replaces the lenses, but at current value: If it is an old model, the compensation paid will not be enough to pay for the whole new glasses. In this case – out of courtesy – you can deduct the difference from your own wallet. And you still pay the exemption according to the policy; this is usually 200 francs.
3. Repeat
Think: the fondue rechaud is overturned, the tablecloth catches fire. You and your guests get water and blankets right away. However, the noble wooden table was severely burned. This damage is a classic case for household insurance. If the table is no longer repairable, it will compensate the damage from its regeneration value; therefore it pays for the cost of a new, equivalent table.
4. fireworks
You want to surprise your guests with fireworks, everything is ready on the balcony. But instead of blowing up, a rocket rushes horizontally to the neighboring chalet and sets fire to a balcony. The fire brigade needs to go outside to put out the fire. The neighbor’s building insurance is primarily responsible for the damage. But since you are responsible for the fire, this is a recourse to you. You can contact private liability insurance, but expect that this will reduce the benefit. Because setting off fireworks from the balcony is gross negligence.
5th candle
People love to celebrate thoughtfully by candlelight. But suddenly a stream of air passes through the open window, the candle topples and the curtain catches fire. Thanks to the fire blanket and water bucket provided, you manage to extinguish the fire. But the room is showing serious fire and smoke damage. For soot and fire damage to the walls, homeowners apply for building insurance, and renters apply for private liability insurance. Home insurance covers damage to furniture.
6. theft
The bad guys take advantage of this moment and break into your apartment while you party with your friends. Although there are other people in the house, thieves break the door of the apartment undetected, stealing electronics, jewelry and cash. The cost of the damaged apartment door belongs to your landlord. Your household goods insurance will cover stolen items, but there are usually coverage limits for jewelry and cash.
7. Red wine
Already a little drunk, your best friend is balancing a full glass of red wine in the living room. He stumbled and spilled the red water on the white seat cushions. Your girlfriend’s private liability insurance case. However, the insurance company will ask how old the seat is when calculating the damage and will only compensate for its present value.
8. Brawlers
Suddenly the mood in the room is no longer cheerful. One word leads to another, and suddenly two colleagues quarrel and beat each other with their fists. As the host, you try to separate the brawlers. You end up with a broken nose, a colleague’s ear bleeding, another’s shirt torn. And there are shards of crystal glass on the floor. Of course, bullies are responsible for the damage done. Accident insurance may be recourse, which initially covers the costs of healing your broken nose. Fighters are directly liable for property damage from their own wallets. Personal liability insurance usually does not cover damages resulting from physical assault. Also, bullies need to know that if they injure other people in such relationships, they will be subject to prosecution.
9. Driver
In the wee hours of the morning, your party is falling apart, and a coworker refuses to get into his car despite the fact that he’s obviously been drinking too much. You try to stop him and persuade him to take a taxi. If he still drives and causes an accident, you cannot be held responsible. The situation is different if you lend your car to him for the journey home: You are committing gross negligence if you leave your car to a driver who is obviously unable to drive. In such cases, the car insurance recourse to the owner.
10. Hangover
You gave your friends sleeping bags and pillows and put them next to them so they wouldn’t be driving after drinking too much alcohol – which ended the party comfortably. Waking up in the morning is less pleasant: your head is pounding. But everyone is responsible for this.