Professional Liability Insurance for Teachers
Learn how teachers can protect themselves with teacher professional liability insurance.
Written by
Ann Herro has been writing about insurance and employee benefits for over 15 years. She has covered topics as easy as insuring a car, and as difficult as transparency in healthcare costs.
Reviewed by
Cara Carlone is a licensed P&C agent with 20 years of experience. She has her P&C license in RI and TX and holds CPCU, API, and AINS designations.
There are more than 3.5 million public and private school teachers in the United States, according to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). In today’s litigious society, that’s 3.5 million targets for lawsuits.
The average salary for teachers in the United States is $69,544, according to the National Education Association (NEA). Considering that liability claims can run from $25,000 to hundreds of thousands of dollars, that income is not nearly enough to withstand a lawsuit from a student’s parents.
Doctors and lawyers would not dream of practicing without liability (or malpractice) insurance. In today’s lawsuit-happy world, a teacher should not step into a classroom without the protection of a professional liability insurance policy designed specifically for educators.
Where can you find professional liability insurance for teachers? Start by asking a local independent insurance agent.
Why is Professional Liability Insurance Important for Teachers?
Lawsuits involving teachers and schools have been on the rise. Professional liability insurance for educators helps protect you when your accused of things like:
- Failure to give students credit
- Injuries to students under your supervision
- Failure to educate students or meet your duties
- Making false or misleading claims
- Providing inaccurate advice
Professional liability insurance for teachers should cover you as an individual teacher for these types of claims. If you don’t get coverage from your school district or union, it’s important to look into purchasing a policy on your own. Here’s some examples of teaching professions where this scenario might apply:
- Tutors
- Education consultants
- Coaches
- Preschool teachers
- Driver’s ed teachers
- Daycare teachers
- Dance teachers
- Child care providers
- ESL teachers
- Teacher’s aides or assistants
- Non-union paying teachers
If you’re unsure of what’s provided by your employer and if you need individual protection to cover the gap, a local independent insurance agent can help you sort through the details and determine your needs.
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What Does Professional Liability Insurance for Teachers Cover?
Professional liability insurance for teachers covers claims of actual or alleged errors, negligence, or omissions. It typically pays for your legal defense costs and any settlements or judgements that must be paid to the claimant.
Exact coverage will vary depending on your insurance company, but these policies typically cover things like:
- Alleged assault and battery
- Alleged sexual abuse and molestation
- Negligence and alleged negligence (claims you didn’t use reasonable care when instructing)
- Wrongful acts (actual and alleged errors or breaches of conduct)
- Libel and slander (written and oral defamatory statements)
An independent insurance agent can help you understand what your policy does and doesn’t cover.
Do Teachers Get Liability Coverage from Their Schools?
Most teachers are covered by professional liability insurance provided by their school district or by their professional union. Union-provided liability insurance is typically free to members as a benefit of paying dues.
Some states have “hold-harmless” laws that require the employer (e.g., the school district) to pay for your defense or related damages if you are sued.
How Can an Independent Insurance Agent Help You Find Professional Liability Insurance for Teachers?
In the event you face a lawsuit, you need the protection only a professional liability insurance policy can offer. Knowledgeable, independent insurance agents are always available to assist you.
These agents work for their clients and not the insurance company, which allows them to compare several quotes with a variety of coverage options.
Contact an independent agent today to find out how you can obtain a teacher liability insurance policy at the most affordable rates with the best protection. An agent can answer all your questions and allow you to teach with peace of mind knowing your finances are protected.
https://nces.ed.gov/fastfacts/display.asp?id=372#:~:text=How%20many%20teachers%20were%20there,in%20private%20schools%20(source).
https://www.nea.org/resource-library/educator-pay-and-student-spending-how-does-your-state-rank/teacher#:~:text=The%20national%20average%20public%20school,153)%20at%20the%20low%20end.