Q: I have employed on an as needed basis a local woman who through casual conversation says she has no health coverage.
If she gets hurt on our property, what liability do we have. We are 80 year olds and she does mainly cleaning, but has shoveled snow for us and other jobs as they come up such as change light bulbs, taking items to Goodwill, recycling, but mostly help around the house.
A:
The liability for you if the woman helping you gets hurt would be the same as a guest in your house. That is to say, if a guest in your house, or a person working for you, is injured in your house, you could be liable for some or all of their medical costs (I say "some" because the injured person could be partially liable for their own costs if they were negligent).
I suggest that you talk with your insurance agent about your coverage. If you own the home, your homeowner's insurance would cover some of the cost, but for added coverage and peace of mind, consider an umbrella policy for $1,000,000 - this type of coverage is surprisingly inexpensive, considering how much coverage you get.
If you are a renter, you can still obtain coverage.
Good luck to you!
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