By M.E. Sprengelmeyer
Denver Rocky Mountain News Staff Writer

From dog bites to slippery sidewalks to the deadliest school shooting in American history, homeowners insurance is there.

The parents of the Columbine High School gunmen and one of the young gun suppliers have offered to settle dozens of legal claims for $1.6 million.

That money will come from various homeowners insurance policies.

Such policies typically cover household accidents, but it's not unusual for them to be drawn upon following catastrophic or even criminal situations, said Carole Walker, executive director of the Rocky Mountain Insurance Information Association, an industry consortium.

Homeowners policies have covered everything from dog bites to forest fires caused by out-of-control campfires or accidental shootings by homeowners' children, Walker said.

"It stretches the imagination," she said.

Terms vary from company to company, but the typical homeowners policy costs $484 per year and covers up to $300,000 in personal liability. For another $150 to $300 per year, families can get personal umbrella policies that cover up to $1 million in liability.

"It used to be thought that just millionaires had them, but with today's litigious society, more and more people are looking at umbrella coverage," Walker said.

Policies often have clauses excluding coverage for criminal acts by the policyholders. However, the actions of the homeowners' children typically would be covered, said Maryellen Waggoner, deputy insurance commissioner for the state of Colorado.

"The more people have, the more they need to protect," Waggoner said. "And our society, it's apparent, is becoming more litigious."