Social Worker Malpractice Insurance

Social workers are involved in many activities, ranging from youth work to helping the aging population to assisting those living with HIV/AIDS. As a company or an individual offering services in the social work field, you're vulnerable to a number of common risks on a daily basis, including liability claims from your clients. That's why having the right social worker malpractice insurance is critical.

Luckily, a local independent insurance agent can help you get set up with all the social worker malpractice insurance you need. They'll help you find a policy that includes the right amount of protection. Until then, here's a breakdown of social worker malpractice insurance and why it's necessary.

What Is Social Worker Malpractice Insurance?

Social worker malpractice insurance is a special type of professional liability insurance designed to protect those in the social work field against the cost of professional errors and negligence. This coverage can reimburse you for third-party claims, such as those from your clients, of mistakes, accidents, and omissions by you or your social work business. Social work malpractice insurance can help you financially recover in case of an unexpected lawsuit.

What Does Social Worker Malpractice Insurance Cover?

Clinical social worker professional liability insurance covers many of the expenses you can face in the event of alleged errors and omissions on the job. These policies can cover the following.

• Defense costs, including attorney and court expenses
• The cost of punitive and compensatory damages
• The cost of arbitration and settlement
• The cost of medical damages to your patients
• The cost of defending your professional license in case of an investigation by the licensing board

Even if a client or another third party sues you over an ultimately unfounded claim, the cost of your legal defense alone can still cost thousands of dollars or more for just one lawsuit. Having the right social worker professional liability insurance can provide you with the reimbursement you need to get back to work.

Why Do Social Workers Need Professional Liability Insurance?

If you are responsible for bodily injury or personal property damage to another person, your general liability insurance can protect you against costs related to claims and lawsuits. However, if you are accused of committing an error or omission in your work that causes harm or damages another person or firm, your general liability policy won't cover you.

For this kind of claim, you must carry professional liability insurance, also known as errors and omissions insurance. In many instances, this type of coverage is also likely required if you sign a contract to provide professional social work services.

Who Needs Social Worker Malpractice Insurance?

No matter what type of social work you do, you can likely benefit from having professional liability insurance tailored to your role. The following professionals should consider getting social worker malpractice insurance:

Clinical Social Workers

• Therapists
• Counselors
• Direct-care providers

Non-clinical Social Workers

• Advocacy
• Case management
• Administration

Telehealth Social Workers

• Remote therapists and counselors

Clinical social workers often carry the highest risk for emotional harm to clients and lawsuits related to treatment errors or negligence. However, non-clinical social workers and those who perform telehealth services are also at a high risk of lawsuits for professional errors and omissions.

What's Not Covered by Social Worker Professional Liability Insurance?

Social workers' professional liability insurance comes with various exclusions to be aware of. This coverage typically won't cover:

• Illegal conduct
• Malicious and intentional acts
• Alleged sexual misconduct
• Factual misrepresentations on insurance applications
• Claims covered under general liability insurance

Review your social worker malpractice insurance policy together with your independent insurance agent to be certain of its exact coverage exclusions.

What Kind of Social Worker Malpractice Insurance Should You Buy?

Most social worker malpractice insurance policies specify two different coverage limits, including the individual limit, or the maximum amount that will be paid for an individual claim, and the aggregate limit, or the maximum amount that will be paid by your policy for all claims within the policy year.

This means that if your policy has limits of $1,000,000/$3,000,000, it will pay a maximum of $1 million per claim and $3 million for all claims during the policy's term. You can also typically choose between the following types of policies:

• Claims-made policies: This coverage provides reimbursement only if the service is provided and the claim is made while the policy is in force. Some policies also include "tail" coverage, which extends protection for a certain amount of time, such as five years, after the policy's end date.
• Occurrence policies: This coverage provides reimbursement if the service is performed while the policy is in force, regardless of when the claim gets filed.
• Modified occurrence policies: Also called tail coverage, these policies combine aspects of occurrence coverage and claims-made coverage. Tail coverage extends a policy's protection after its term ends. Once this additional amount of coverage has expired, you may purchase unlimited tail coverage. Retiring social workers use tail coverage to protect themselves from claims that may arise in retirement from past services.

Your independent insurance agent can help recommend the right kind of social worker professional liability insurance for your needs.

How Much Does Social Worker Malpractice Insurance Cost?

The average cost of social worker malpractice insurance starts at around $101 annually for supplemental coverage and around $242 annually for primary coverage in a policy with $1 million/$3 million limits.

However, the cost of your policy can vary depending on several factors, such as:

• Your location
• Your claims history
• How much coverage you need
• Your years of experience in the field
• How many hours you work per week

A local independent insurance agent can help you find affordable social worker professional liability insurance in your area.

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The Benefits of an Independent Insurance Agent

When it comes to helping insurance customers find the absolute best social worker malpractice coverage, no one’s better equipped to help than an independent insurance agent. Independent insurance agents search through multiple carriers to find providers who sell clinical social worker professional liability insurance, deliver quotes from a number of different sources, and help you walk through them all to find the best blend of coverage and cost.