Parental Liability

What Does Parental Liability Mean?

Parental liability is a parent's legal responsibility for any damages or losses caused by their child. The parent is obliged to pay for the damage, loss, or any compensation awarded by the courts.

This responsibility ends when the child becomes a legal adult, which, in most of the United States, is when the child reaches 18 years of age.

Insuranceopedia Explains Parental Liability

While parents are generally responsible for any damages caused by their children, the specifics of parental liability laws vary from state to state.

States like Florida and Texas, for instance, only recognize parental liability when the child inflicts damage on a piece of property. California and Oregon, on the other hand, hold parents liable for the damage their child does to both property and person.

The maximum amount a parent can be liable for also varies throughout the country. The limit in Texas and California, for example, is $25,000, while Alaska only holds parents liable up to $5,000.