It Could Happen To You: "That" Sports Parent

If your child play's sports, chances are you've witnessed this individual at a game or conference. They can be found on both sides of the aisle, but one thing they all have in common is the unwavering belief that their child is going to change the face of athletics. They heckle coaches and refs, and occasionally even other players. You've seen them berate their child for a missed pass, or noticed the morose look on their son or daughter's face as they exit the field and head home. "Thank goodness I'm not like that" or,  "I'm so glad that my spouse doesn't embarrass our child like this," are generally the first things you think when you hear this individual gathering steam. Unfortunately, during practice your child hits a home run and slides into home plate, knocking over That Child. That Child is injured and you find you're relieved when practice ends without That Parent confronting you. Until the lawsuit papers arrive in the mail. You're being sued because That Child suffered a torn ligament in their elbow and now their professional pitching career is over. That Parent wants to be compensated financially for the lack of professional sports prospects. "They're 15!" You think to yourself, "Is this really happening?" It happens all the time. The likelihood that you'll actually be found liable for any professional sports earnings is slim. Unfortunately, for that determination to be made there may be significant time and money spent on court and legal fees. 5 years and $70,000 in legal fees later, your child no longer has a college fund. These cases are exactly why you have an Umbrella policy, because the future is unpredictable. You may not have a crystal ball, but you can make sure you have the appropriate coverage to protect your assets in case you do encounter That Person.