To determine how much international personal liability insurance is needed, many people find it easier to read through real life claim examples and how affected others.

Based on where in the world you are now living, and if you have family with you, how many of these below could potentially affect you. (The total damage awards based on personal negligence for all 5 examples below surpasses $2,100,000 USD)

Claim Examples of International Liability Losses and Damage Awards

DAMAGE AWARD IN INDONESIA: An American living in Jakarta had two sons that caused a $20,000 USD property loss at a local restaurant supply house by turning a sprinkler system. Being forced to appear before the local magistrate, the judge ordered the expatriate to pay the restaurant owner $20,000 in 30 days. The individual in question here did not have international liability insurance and was forced to write a check to the restaurant owner in remain to stay in the country.

LAWSUIT IN GERMANY: A French national living in Dusseldorf Germany was sued after causing an auto accident where the expatriate's wife was seen as liable, veering another car off the road and into the side of a factory building. The total damage was $60,000 Euros. The family did have international personal liability insurance. The entire damage award and $2,000 Euros of defense costs was covered and the expatriate returned to work with little disruption.

PERSONAL CIVIL LAWSUIT IN AUSTRALIA: A British national was sued in Melbourne Victoria, Australia after his dog bit a child (age 11) causing $11,000 of medical claims and personal suffering. The individual did not have global personal liability insurance and was forced to write a check to the plaintiff.

LAWSUIT IN POLAND: An expatriate in Warsaw struck and killed a local pedestrian and was actually placed in jail. After pleading guilty and admitting liability, the judge ordered the expatriate to pay the widow $2,000,000 USD. The expatriate carried no international property and liability insurance in Poland, and had assumed the employer was providing protection on both lines of coverage. After it was determined the individual could not pay the damage award and criminal penalties, the employer's legal entity was named and attached in the lawsuit. In order to salvage a $30,000,000 investment in Poland, the employer paid the damage award on behalf of the employee.

DAMAGE AWARD IN EGYPT: A Canadian family was forced by a local judge to pay an Egyptian national $120,000 USD after the child of the Canadian left water running in the kitchen sink which leaked to the apartment building below for 8 hours, causing damage to the ceiling, furniture and electronics of the local national living on the floor directly below. The Canadian family did carry the proper international liability insurance and the entire claim was covered along with local defense costs. The process took six weeks to complete and all legal red tape was handed by the legal team of the insurance company.

LAWSUIT IN THE UNITED STATES WHILE AN AMERICAN WAS WORKING IN CHINA: An American working for a chemical company in China was forced to return to the United States after his son was sued along with 20 other fraternity members for a certain way they treated freshmen pledges of the fraternity. The chemical company manager had not thought about international personal liability insurance because he believed the coverage was not available to him in China and was willing to take the risk of having his son study in the U.S. uncovered. $1,500,000 of claims are pending.