Insurance for home health aides

Insurance for caregivers & home health aides

Whether your patient is sick, disabled, elderly – or all three – you take care of them. But when you’re working with fragile people, easily hurt, things can go wrong.

Accidents can happen, mistakes get made. Confusion and disorientation can lead to accusations. Before you know it you’re facing a legal claim.

And when that happens, who takes care of you?

Home health care insurance is your band-aid. It protects you from the cost of a legal claim. Even if it’s groundless.

• Why do caregivers need general liability insurance?

  Because you spend your day visiting with clients, caring for them in their homes. And if a customer trips and hurts themselves, or you damage their property, they can sue you.

  Now, without the right insurance you’ll have to pay for the costs associated with a legal claim, which can be pretty painful.

  But if you have a general liability policy -- even if there are no grounds for the claim -- it can take care of these for you.

  Including medical bills, the cost of repairing or replacing damaged items, plus your legal fees if the case goes to court. And if you’re found at fault, it can pay compensation too.

• What does general liability insurance for caregivers cover?

  So long as the claim’s filed in the United States, its territories, or Canada, general liability insurance covers claims for:

  • Third-party bodily injury – a slip, trip, or fall can cost thousands in medical bills, even for injuries that seem to be minor.
  • Third-party property damage – paying for repairs or replacements from damage caused by you, your full-time, or temporary staff can mount up, even if it was accidental.
  • Personal injury – He said. She said. Whether anyone said anything at all, claims of slander or libel can seriously damage your reputation. And the defense costs can seriously dent your bank balance.
  • Advertising injury – whether it was your idea, or theirs, arguing it out in court will be expensive.

  When a claim’s filed against your business, there are often hidden costs involved. Your general liability policy takes care of these, too. Including up to $250 a day for loss of earnings.

  Claims take their toll. On your time, as well as your money. Having the right insurance means your home health care business is protected. Leaving you to get on with running it.

• How much does general liability insurance cost for a caregiver?

  The cost of your insurance will be affected by things like your business’s size, its location, and the coverage limits you select.

  Whatever the cost, there’s a package to suit your particular needs. And payment options, too, so you can spread the cost to fit your budget.

  But as for what level of cover you want, you'll need to decide what's best for you.

  It's always best to over-estimate. Lawyers' fees, compensation and court costs can go through the roof. So, imagine the worst-case scenario. Then pick a figure you can realistically afford.

• Why do home caregivers need professional liability insurance?

  Take two pills and call me in the morning. Or was it three? See that’s the thing. When home health aides make a simple mistake, the results can be catastrophic.

  Forget to remind someone to take their meds, miss a checklist item or delay an in-home visit and it’s not just the patient that could be harmed. Or what about if the person you're caring for falls in the bath and breaks their hip? That's more than a slip-up for you. A negligence claim can threaten your reputation and put your livelihood on your line.

  To make things worse, as a professional, you can be sued even if the claim is groundless.

  Defending yourself from a claim you made a mistake– even if you didn’t – can be costly. The stress can be enough to make you physically ill.

  Luckily there’s a simple remedy. A professional liability insurance policy drawn up before a minor mistake becomes a major headache.

  Also known as errors and omissions insurance – E&O for short – it’s a warm blanket of protection when you need it most.

• What does professional liability insurance for caregivers cover?

  • Errors and omissions – whether you made a mistake, or not
  • Claims made against you – and compensation, if you’re liable
  • Claims made against you for past work
  • Worldwide claims (as long as they’re filed in the United States, a U.S. territory or Canada)
  • Legal costs – you’ll even get a lawyer to defend you, if you need one

• How much does professional liability for caregivers cost?

  The cost of professional liability policies for caregivers varies, depending on:

  • The size of your business
  • Where your business is based
  • Your annual business income
  • The amount of coverage you need
  • The deductible you choose.

  Typically, the higher your coverage limit (the amount your policy provider will pay for a single claim or all claims during the policy period) the more your insurance will cost. So choose your limit carefully.

  Think worst-case scenario (and remember lawyers’ costs can go through the roof). Just be sure to pick a figure you can sensibly afford.

  The higher your deductible (the amount you pay towards the cost of a claim) the lower your policy price will be. But do make sure you could actually afford to pay that amount if there’s a claim.

What other kinds of insurance do home health carers need?