The holidays are a season of goodwill, but the hard truth is that we live in a litigious society and even the best-intentioned host may be on the line if food ends up undercooked or if a guest over-imbibes at the dinner table.
Even if you outsource your holiday prep to a caterer or a restaurant—as three quarters of homeowners have—you may still be responsible if a guest contracts salmonella or ends up in a roadside accident after a couple of toasts, says the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America.
"Hosts should be aware that if someone drives drunk or becomes sick after consuming food at a holiday party, the host could actually be liable," says Robert A. Rusbuldt, president and chief executive officer of the IIABA. "Even a simple neighborhood holiday potluck could have disastrous results for the host if someone is stricken with food poisoning."
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