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Spring is the season for graduation parties. And every year we read reports of parents who knowingly permit underage drinking in their homes, in hotel rooms they have rented for parties or at remote campsites. Perhaps these parents feel the dangers associated with underage drinking are lessened if it is done at a private home or in a contained setting with adult supervision. Some parents may consider a few beers at a graduation party to be an acceptable “right of passage”.
The dangers associated with underage drinking are obvious and details of alcohol-fueled disasters are published every Spring. Yet, some parents willingly risk the safety of their children (and others) by furnishing alcohol or by not taking steps to adequately supervise the parties they host.
All parents should be aware of the growing movement in the U.S. to hold adults legally liable for furnishing alcohol to those under 21. Social host liability laws have been adopted by about half of the states in the U.S. (including Pennsylvania) giving law enforcement the tools they need to hold adults accountable for underage drinking.
The Wall Street Journal documented a case that included charges filed against a California father who, after hosting a teen drinking party, spent the night in jail and faced 44 counts of suspicion of contributing to the delinquency of a minor. In that case, each misdemeanor count carried up to a $2,500 fine and nearly a year in jail. Other (more local) cases have been well documented in the news over the past several months.
Details about underage drinking and social host liability laws can be found at the Alcohol Policy Information System’s website. Here you can find information on a wide variety of alcohol-related polices in the U.S. and an interactive map detailing laws for each state. Additional information can be found in a brochure published by MADD.
Of course the best tool for managing social host liability is to avoid the risk altogether by not furnishing alcohol to minors and by closely monitoring the parties you host. However, in the “real world” alcohol can easily find its way into your party without your knowledge or permission. And, believe it or not, some underage drinking parties happen when parents are out of town. While personal insurance policies may pay for legal fees in cases involving bodily injury or property damage resulting from social hosting, coverage terms can vary from insurer to insurer. Even if coverage is provided under your Homeowners Insurance policy, available coverage limits may not be enough to pay for catastrophic claims involving serious injuries or loss of life. This is another reason to protect your assets with a Personal Excess (Umbrella) Liability policy.
Your agent at The Safegard Group is always available to discuss loss exposures associated with social hosting and how your policy would respond.