The Umbrella, a Holiday Party Essential

There is no standard personal umbrella liability policy. The types of claims covered vary by insurer, so you should shop around.

While it's good to have insurance, there are some things you can do to ensure you don't have to use it. Here are some tips from Trusted Choice:

· Shift the liability by hosting your party at a restaurant or bar that has a liquor license.

· If you are going to serve wine, beer or liquor, arrange transportation or overnight accommodations for guests who appear to be intoxicated. "We are seeing a lot more states pushing for stiffer penalties and holding servers responsible," Flannagan said.

· Serve all the drinks yourself (or hire a bartender) so you can monitor how much guests are drinking. Stop serving alcohol at least one hour before the party is scheduled to end.

· Don't serve alcohol. This year, auto club AAA printed a special edition of its "Great Pretenders Party Guide" featuring some of the best nonalcoholic drink recipes from its top-rated restaurants. To get a free copy of the booklet, visit any AAA office, call 800-222-1333 or download one at http://www.AAA.com.

Finally, ask yourself this: Would you stop serving your guests alcohol if you thought they'd had too much to drink?

Although most people said they would, 7 percent of respondents in the Trusted Choice survey answered either "no" or that they "didn't know." No matter how much umbrella insurance those people get, they should never host a party where alcohol is served.