Umbrella Insurance
One serious accident can exceed your auto or home liability limits. An umbrella adds a layer above both, usually starting at a million dollars, for less than most people expect.
Licensed in California
Menlo Insurance Services is the filed name of Opero Labs Inc. California license #6020106.
Eight brokers, one team
Our eight brokers work together as one Menlo team, so you can reach a person who understands your account.
Independent brokerage
We hold appointments with multiple carriers, so the quote is shopped rather than served from one shelf.
What this policy can cover
Liability above your other policies
An extra layer, usually starting at one million dollars, that sits over your home and auto liability.
The catastrophic accident
A serious at-fault crash or an injury on your property that exceeds your underlying limits.
Claims your other policies skip
Certain personal liability claims, like libel or slander, that home and auto policies do not address.
Legal defense
Defense costs for covered claims, which can be substantial on their own.
For households with something to protect
- Homeowners with equity and savings
- Families with young drivers
- Landlords with a rental property or two
- High earners whose future income is the asset
What changes your premium
These details help insurers assess your business and price the coverage. Terms and available options vary by insurer.
- The underlying home and auto limits you already carry
- The number of drivers, vehicles and properties in the household
- Pools, trampolines, dogs and other named exposures
- The excess limit you want
Coverages that pair with this
Homeowners Insurance
The structure, everything inside it, and your liability as the owner of the place it happened.
Auto Insurance
Liability, damage to the car, and the other driver who turns out to have no insurance at all.
Renters Insurance
Your belongings and your liability in a building whose policy covers the landlord rather than you.
Frequently asked questions
Who actually needs an umbrella policy?
Anyone whose assets and future earnings are worth more than their auto and home liability limits. That includes more ordinary households than people assume: a single serious at-fault accident can produce a judgment well beyond typical policy limits.
How much does a million dollars of coverage cost?
Umbrella coverage tends to be inexpensive for what it does, because it only pays after your other policies are exhausted. Price depends on your household's cars, drivers, homes, and history, so we quote it alongside your other policies.
Do I need certain limits on my home and auto first?
Yes. Carriers require minimum underlying liability limits on your auto and home policies before an umbrella attaches. We line those up as part of the quote so there is no gap between layers.
Does an umbrella cover my teenage driver?
Household members, including young drivers, are typically covered, which is exactly when the extra layer earns its keep. Underwriting will ask about all drivers up front.
Umbrella vs just raising my auto limits?
Raising underlying limits is often step one and sometimes enough. The umbrella adds a larger shared layer across home and auto at once, plus some coverages neither policy has. We can price both approaches side by side.
Does this policy cover your own injuries or property?
An umbrella is liability-only. It protects others' claims against you.
Does this policy cover business liability?
Business exposures belong on commercial policies. A personal umbrella sits over personal ones.
Does this policy cover intentional acts?
Deliberate harm is uninsurable.
Does this policy cover claims below your underlying limits?
The umbrella starts paying only after the home or auto policy beneath it is exhausted.
Can you write this where I live?
We are currently licensed in California only. Start a quote if the business or risk is in California, and we will confirm eligibility before you spend time on it.
What happens after I start a quote?
Tell us about the coverage you need and complete the application. We use those details to approach suitable markets and may ask follow-up questions. Requesting a quote does not put coverage in force.
Price a million-dollar layer
Tell us about your household, homes, and drivers. We line up the layers and quote it alongside your other policies.