Group of four friends eating, drinking, and laughing together in a home.

Hosting a Party? Be Aware of Your State’s Social Host Liability Statutes



The holidays are a great time to enjoy visits from family and friends. However, it’s also an important time to keep social host liability in mind. Social host liability refers to the liability of an individual who provides alcohol to someone without selling it to them. For instance, if you’re hosting a party at your home and a guest becomes intoxicated and gets into an accident because of their intoxication, a person injured in this accident may try to assert a claim against you, the furnisher of the alcohol.

Each state handles these claims differently. For example:

Statutes can change over time, so please refer to your state’s statutes for full up-to-date details.

It is important to be aware that your insurance does not cover social host exposure. Your Homeowner and Personal Umbrella policies both exclude social host liability coverage.

Enjoy your holiday and celebrate responsibly. Do not provide alcohol to your children or your children’s underage friends or allow them to drink on your property. Such actions could result in an unfortunate or tragic accident, in addition to criminal penalties and/or civil liability not covered by your insurance.