Your non-profit organization or agency depends on providing thoughtful, trustworthy and professional care for those that need it. To keep your operation going you must deal with changing laws, regulations and compliance issues. So when it comes to acquiring insurance you will want to find the right social service insurance agency who can be your partner in making sure you have the liability coverage you will need. And a quick review now of all the most common forms of coverage may save you from unnecessary losses later on.
No matter what type of service you give, you may be able to get a policy. Adoption agencies, group homes, alcohol and drug rehabilitation facilities and even meals on wheels are among the most common industries that obtain this type of coverage. In the event you provide tutoring or nanny services you may also get your own personal policy. Starting out with general liability coverage, regardless of what kind of service you offer is a good idea for many reasons. One of the most common claims in this grouping that you are likely to come across is when someone who is not a member of staff slips or falls on your property. Medical costs for the injured person can be significant, especially if they are severely hurt and have a long process of healing. This type of insurance coverage covers a number of non-accident situations as well, including advertising injury, libel and slander.
Other very helpful policies focus on the activities of your employees. Incidents do happen. Having the security from a workers compensation policy handles any incidents involving an injury to an employee. It is one kind of social service insurance that can be well worth the investment. Most worker comp insurance plans will provide for any medical costs in addition to any lost pay should they not be able to perform their work because of the injury. This kind of coverage is necessary in nearly every state in the United States. Another policy that protects you from incidents is non-owned vehicle liability. Many times you send employees to where they are needed using their own car. You might be held financially responsible if they were to have an automobile accident while working and they were behind the wheel and it is their fault. This type of protection will cover any medical costs if your employee’s actions cause another person to get injured. In these cases, this coverage will also take care of property damage. However, it will not provide money to repair your employee’s car. You will also want to think about getting professional liability. Should one of your employees not provide suitable care to a client which results in an injury, you will be covered should a claim be filed. An array of incidents can be covered with this form of plan, from not being able to prevent a client from receiving bedsores to one of your staff members being unable to stop a client from falling.
Another valuable type of policy entails extending your regular coverage with what is generally known as an umbrella liability. This type of coverage is usually more affordable than some other types. The coverage for the umbrella coverage begins when you have hit the maximum amount of liability for a predicament. For example, you could have a non-owned vehicle claim against your business for $2 million. Should your coverage only covers up to $1 million, the umbrella liability coverage would pay for the remaining amount. Most often this type of additional insurance is available for general, social service, professional and non-owned vehicle/hired vehicle liability insurance plans. If you have any inquiries about the types of social service insurance you and your business need you need to discuss the options with an insurance representative. Protection for you and your personnel is quite possible at a more affordable cost with the right kind of insurance protection.