Louisiana High Limit Umbrella Insurance

Covington & Slidell Independent Insurance Agents

Protecting Your Assets with a Business Owners Policy

MNot every BOP is built the same. These features deserve a close look before you sign:


Equipment breakdown: May cover electrical or mechanical failure, like a power surge frying an imaging machine's circuit board. Standard property forms often exclude this.

Business income: Typically replaces lost revenue and continuing expenses if a covered loss forces you to close temporarily.

Spoilage coverage: May pay for vaccines or medications lost when refrigeration fails during an outage.

Flood: Usually excluded from a BOP. Practices in flood-prone parts of St. Tammany often need a separate flood policy.

Named storm deductibles: Louisiana policies frequently carry percentage-based hurricane deductibles, so know the dollar figure before storm season.

A high limit umbrella policy in Louisiana adds liability protection above your home, auto, and boat coverage, typically in amounts of $5 million or more. For affluent families on the Northshore, it may also extend to excess uninsured motorist claims, waterfront camps, household employees, and board service, depending on the carrier and endorsements chosen.


Picture a Saturday on the Tchefuncte. A guest on your boat slips getting off at the dock, hits their head, and spends three weeks in a New Orleans hospital. Your boat policy carries $500,000 in liability. The lawsuit asks for $8 million. That gap between what your primary policy pays and what a jury might award is exactly where Louisiana high limit umbrella insurance does its work.


Most families in Covington, Mandeville, and Slidell who carry umbrella coverage bought a $1 million or $2 million policy years ago and never revisited it. Since then, they may have added a camp on the river, hired a nanny, joined a hospital board, or watched their net worth climb. The policy sat still while the exposure grew. This guide walks through where those gaps tend to show up and what a higher limit policy can realistically fix.

The Role of High Limit Umbrella Insurance in Louisiana

An umbrella policy sits on top of your primary policies. When a covered liability claim exhausts your auto, homeowners, or watercraft limits, the umbrella picks up the remaining amount up to its own limit. Some umbrellas also "drop down" to cover certain claims your primary policies exclude entirely, such as libel, slander, or false arrest, after a self-insured retention is met.


Louisiana makes this coverage more than a nice extra. The state ranked among the top 10 for nuclear verdicts in 2025, with six jury awards exceeding $10 million totaling $1.27 billion. Those numbers include commercial cases, but the jury attitudes behind them carry into personal injury suits against individuals too.


Here's what that means for you: your primary policies were built for ordinary accidents. An umbrella is built for the one accident that isn't ordinary, the kind that ends up in front of a jury in Orleans or St. Tammany Parish.

By: Kyle Beerbohm
President

Aubert Insurance Agency is a local, independent agency, licensed to serve individuals and businesses across Louisiana, Mississippi, Florida and Texas.

We serve clients from our offices in Covington and Slidell and throughout St. Tammany Parish — working with dozens of carriers and wholesale markets to help homeowners, drivers, contractors, restaurant owners, property investors, auto shops, professional practices and many other personal and commercial clients find coverage that fits.

Licensed in Louisiana #3661 · Mississippi #15039075 · Florida #W0772236 · Texas #2381820

Understanding the Named Storm Deductible

A named storm deductible works differently than the flat $500 or $1,000 deductible on your regular claims. In Louisiana, it's often calculated as 2% to 5% of the insured value of your personal property. On a policy with $40,000 in contents coverage, a 5% deductible means the first $2,000 of a hurricane loss is yours.


There's some good news in state law. Louisiana's one-deductible-per-year rule (La. R.S. 22:1337) means you generally pay the named storm deductible only once per calendar year, even if two storms hit your rental. Ask your agent to show you that deductible in dollars, not just a percentage, so you can set aside the right amount in an emergency fund.

Why Limits of Five Million and Above are Necessary for High Net Worth Individuals

The rule of thumb many agents use is simple: carry umbrella limits at least equal to your net worth. That's a starting point, not a ceiling. Plaintiffs' attorneys don't sue based only on what you own today. They look at future earnings, business interests, trusts, and the visibility of your lifestyle.


Median jury awards in personal injury cases rose by about 23% in 2025 to roughly $4.9 million, a trend the industry calls "social inflation." Think about that against a $2 million umbrella. A single median verdict could blow through it and leave you personally responsible for the rest.


Families who typically benefit from $5 million to $10 million or more include:


  • Physicians, attorneys, and business owners whose professional profile makes them visible targets
  • Households with teen drivers, since young drivers account for a large share of serious auto claims
  • Owners of multiple properties such as a primary home, a camp, and a rental
  • Families who host frequently, whether pool parties, crawfish boils, or boat outings


Higher limits generally cost less per million than the first million, because the odds of a claim reaching the upper layers are lower. That makes the step from $2 million to $5 million more affordable than many people expect.

With no lender to satisfy, the decision is yours, and so is the entire loss. A total rebuild in this parish runs well into six figures.

Homeowners who own outright

Your lender requires coverage at least equal to the loan, and will buy a policy on your behalf at your expense if yours lapses.

Homeowners with a mortgage

Being named as a certificate holder just means someone receives proof. Being named as an additional insured means your policy may actually defend and pay for that party if they're sued because of your work. General contractors, developers, and property managers ask for this because they get pulled into lawsuits over subcontractor mistakes constantly.


Read the contract language closely. Some agreements require "primary and noncontributory" wording or completed operations coverage for the additional insured, which needs specific endorsements. Many contractors sign a subcontract agreeing to these terms without checking whether their policy includes them. If a claim comes in and the endorsement isn't there, you may be in breach of contract on top of facing the lawsuit.

Extending Protection to Boats and Seasonal Camps

Plenty of Northshore families own a camp somewhere: on the Pearl River, near Lake Pontchartrain, or deeper in the marsh for duck season. These properties often get insured as an afterthought, and that's where trouble starts. If the camp isn't listed on an underlying policy that your umbrella recognizes, the umbrella may not respond at all.


Louisiana law does give camp owners some help. Under the state's recreational use statutes, owners of land or camps used for hunting or fishing have limited liability, provided no admission fee is charged and there's no willful failure to warn of hazards. The broader body of law in Title 9 of the Revised Statutes offers a strong defense for seasonal and recreational dwellings.


The catch is that a defense isn't the same as immunity from being sued. You still need someone to pay attorneys to argue that defense, and the protection disappears if you rent the camp out or charge guests to hunt.

Coverage for Watercraft and Coastal Property Risks

Boats create some of the largest liability claims umbrella carriers see. Propeller injuries, wake damage to other vessels, and intoxicated guests falling overboard all show up in claim files. Most umbrella carriers typically require a minimum watercraft liability limit on the underlying policy, often $300,000 or $500,000, before the umbrella will sit on top.


Watch for these common gaps:


  • Size and horsepower limits: some umbrellas may exclude boats over a certain length or engine size
  • Personal watercraft: jet skis are sometimes excluded or need to be scheduled separately
  • Chartering or renting: renting your boat to others typically voids personal coverage
  • Unlisted vessels: that old bass boat at the camp needs to be on a policy too


Coastal property brings its own wrinkles. A dock, pier, or boathouse may need to be specifically listed. If a neighbor's kid is hurt on your pier and the pier was never declared, expect a coverage dispute.

The roof

Age, material and shape drive the wind rate more than any other factor. A fortified roof designation opens markets that would otherwise decline the house.

Excess Uninsured Motorist Coverage in Louisiana

Louisiana has a stubborn problem with uninsured and underinsured drivers, and minimum liability limits in the state are low compared to the cost of a serious injury. If someone running a red light on Highway 190 puts you in the ICU and carries only minimum coverage, your own uninsured/underinsured motorist (UM) coverage is what pays your medical bills and lost income.


Here's the gap most people miss: a standard umbrella protects you when you hurt someone else. It does not automatically protect you when someone else hurts you. Excess UM coverage, available on many high limit umbrella policies, extends your UM protection up to the umbrella limit. Some carriers may offer it as an option, while others may not offer it in Louisiana at all.


Louisiana also has specific rules around UM selection and rejection forms. If you reject or select lower UM limits on your auto policy, that choice can affect what the umbrella will provide. One thing to keep in mind: always ask your agent to show you, in writing, whether your umbrella includes excess UM and at what limit. For high earners, a catastrophic injury can mean millions in lost future income that minimum policies won't touch.

Feature Basic Coverage Extended Coverage
Property valuation Actual cash value (depreciated) Replacement cost (new item price)
Liability limit $100,000 $300,000 to $500,000
Valuables (jewelry, guns, art) Low sublimits, often $1,500 or less Scheduled items at appraised value
Water backup from drains Usually excluded May be added by endorsement
Loss of use Limited dollar cap Higher cap or longer timeframe
Flood Not covered Still not covered (needs NFIP or private flood)
Named storm deductible Percentage applies Percentage applies, sometimes lower options

How coverage choices change a Louisiana homeowners premium. Structure only — your rate depends on your property. [CONFIRM figures]

How coverage choices change a Louisiana homeowners premium. Structure only — your rate depends on your property. [CONFIRM figures]

Scenario Dwelling limit All-other-perils deductible Named-storm deductible
Newer build, inland St. Tammany $350,000 $1,000 2%
Newer build, higher wind zone $350,000 $1,000 5%
Older home, updated roof $275,000 $2,500 2%
Older home, original roof $275,000 $2,500 5%
Fortified roof designation $400,000 $1,000 2%
Rebuilt after a prior claim $400,000 $2,500 5%
Bundled with auto $350,000 $1,000 2%

Notice how none of these overlap much. A patient injured by a falling ceiling tile is a general liability issue, while a patient harmed by a medication error belongs to malpractice. Having one policy does not fill the hole another leaves.

The employee row trips up more owners than any other. Your own techs get hurt far more often than customers do, and neither garage coverage pays for those injuries. Workers' compensation does.

Scenario Garage Liability Garagekeepers
Lift fails, customer car falls Usually no (car is in your care) Typically yes
Lift fails, injures a visiting customer Typically yes No
Test drive hits another vehicle Typically yes (other car, injuries) May cover customer's car
Customer slips on oil in the bay Typically yes No
Employee injured under a lift No (workers' comp) No
Flood damages stored customer car No May apply, depending on form
Faulty repair causes later crash Typically yes (completed operations) No
General Liability Professional Liability (Malpractice) Cyber Liability
Main purpose Injuries and property damage on premises Errors in patient care Data breaches and cyberattacks
Example claim Patient trips over a cord in the hallway Missed diagnosis leads to a lawsuit Ransomware exposes patient files
Typical source Included in a BOP Separate malpractice policy plus PCF Standalone or endorsement
Louisiana twist Standard commercial rules $100,000 primary layer, PCF above HIPAA and breach notification duties
Common gap Excludes treatment-related injuries Excludes data breach costs May exclude losses from weak security

Notice how none of these overlap much. A patient injured by a falling ceiling tile is a general liability issue, while a patient harmed by a medication error belongs to malpractice. Having one policy does not fill the hole another leaves.

Managing Liability for Household Staff and Board Service

Two areas catch affluent families off guard more than almost anything else: the people who work in their homes and the boards they sit on. Both can create personal liability that standard policies may exclude.

Employment Practices and Domestic Employee Risks

If you employ a nanny, housekeeper, groundskeeper, or caregiver, you're an employer. Louisiana's workers' compensation laws include specific exemptions for domestic servants in private homes, which leads some families to assume they're fully covered. They aren't.


Without workers' comp, an injured employee may sue you directly for negligence. A housekeeper who falls off a ladder cleaning gutters becomes a liability claim against your homeowners and umbrella policies. Wrongful termination, harassment, and discrimination claims are a separate problem. Personal umbrella policies often require specific endorsements to cover employment practices liability (EPLI) for household staff, and many exclude it outright without one. A former nanny alleging she was fired after reporting a pregnancy is exactly the kind of claim that can land with no coverage.

Non-Profit and For-Profit Board Member Liability

Covington and Slidell are full of people who serve on church councils, school foundations, hospital boards, and civic groups. Louisiana provides real protection here. Under R.S. 9:2792.1, uncompensated directors and officers of 501(c) nonprofits are generally not individually liable for acts or omissions within their official duties if acting in good faith.


That protection has limits. It typically won't help with claims of gross negligence, and it doesn't apply if you're paid for your service. For-profit board seats are a different story entirely: most personal umbrellas exclude them unless a specific endorsement is added. Even with nonprofit boards, confirm the organization carries its own D&O policy, and ask whether your umbrella may offer excess nonprofit D&O coverage on top.

The roof

Age, material and shape drive the wind rate more than any other factor. A fortified roof designation opens markets that would otherwise decline the house.

Comparing Standard vs. High Limit Umbrella Policies

Not every umbrella is built the same. Policies sold to most households and those designed for high net worth families differ in ways that matter when a claim hits.

Feature Standard Umbrella High Limit Umbrella
Typical limits $1M to $2M $5M to $50M+
Excess UM coverage Often unavailable May be offered as option
Household staff EPLI Usually excluded May be added by endorsement
Board service Limited or excluded Nonprofit often included; for-profit by endorsement
Large boats Size limits common Broader watercraft acceptance
Worldwide coverage Sometimes restricted Typically broader
Defense costs May erode limits Often paid in addition to limits

That last row deserves attention. If defense costs come out of your limit, a long trial could eat $500,000 of your $5 million before any judgment is paid. Policies that pay defense outside the limit preserve your full protection.

Frequently Asked Questions About Louisiana Umbrella Policies

How much umbrella coverage do I really need? At minimum, enough to cover your net worth plus a reasonable estimate of future earnings. Many high earners in Louisiana start at $5 million and go up from there.


Does my umbrella cover my camp automatically? Not usually. The camp typically needs to be listed on an underlying policy your umbrella carrier recognizes, or the umbrella may deny the claim.


Will my umbrella pay if an uninsured driver hits me? Only if you've added excess uninsured motorist coverage. A standard umbrella covers injuries you cause to others, not injuries done to you.


Is my nanny covered under my homeowners policy? Injuries to a domestic worker may be partly covered, but employment claims like wrongful termination usually need a separate EPLI endorsement.


Am I protected if I serve on a nonprofit board? Louisiana law gives unpaid nonprofit directors meaningful protection for good-faith decisions. Still, confirm the organization carries D&O insurance and ask about excess coverage through your umbrella.


Can I get an umbrella if I have a teen driver? Yes, though carriers may require higher underlying auto limits and adjust pricing. Teen drivers are one of the strongest reasons to carry higher limits.

The roof

Age, material and shape drive the wind rate more than any other factor. A fortified roof designation opens markets that would otherwise decline the house.

Making the Right Choice for Your Family Legacy

Building the right high limit umbrella in Louisiana comes down to matching coverage to your actual life: the boat on the river, the camp you share with friends, the nanny who picks up the kids, and the board seat you took because someone asked. Each one adds exposure, and each one may need a specific endorsement or underlying policy to close the gap. A $5 million limit with the wrong exclusions protects less than you think.


The common mistake we see is buying an umbrella once and never reading it again. Your exposure changes every time your family does.


Aubert Insurance Agency has been insuring St. Tammany Parish families since 1910. As an independent agency, we compare umbrella options across multiple carriers and walk you through exactly what each policy covers and excludes, so there are no surprises when it counts. Ready to see where your gaps are? Start a Quote today.

About the Author

Kyle Beerbohm

President

We've been independent since 1910, and four generations of local ownership have kept us that way. We're one of the oldest agencies in St. Tammany Parish and the fourth oldest business in the City of Covington. I treat that history as a responsibility rather than a plaque on the wall. My job is to keep us answering to the families and business owners who walk through our doors, and to keep serving this parish for another hundred years.

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