When you think of insurance for professional service businesses, the world of education may not spring to mind. But in today’s litigious world, education professionals and consultants need the protection of professional liability insurance, or, for education professionals, educators’ professional liability insurance. Educational professionals help design and develop curriculums, advise on teacher compensation, provide HR services and develop individual education plans (IEPs). In short, they provide advice and need to be protected in case that advice is contested. Professional liability insurance is there to make sure they have expert representation and a financial safety net if they become involved in a work-related lawsuit.
Why do I need educators’ professional liability insurance?
Also known as errors and omissions insurance, or E&O coverage, educators’ professional liability insurance provides coverage independent education contractors and consultants should consider. It’s similar to the coverage that therapists, engineers and other professional services providers secure in order to protect themselves from the risk of serious legal consequences caused by professional mistakes. Since these mistakes – whether real or unfounded – are as much of a possibility in education as these other fields, E&O insurance makes sense for education consultants.
When might an education consultant or teacher need to call upon their E&O coverage? Here’s an appropriate example: In your role as an education consultant for a school system you design a curriculum to improve math standardized test scores. After implementation, test scores do not improve as expected, and the school system decides to hold you accountable and sues. Your educators’ professional liability insurance should provide coverage for legal costs and any settlement amount or damages awarded, up to your policy limits.
Get a quote for E&O insurance today
Other professionals don’t dare practice without liability (or malpractice) insurance. As an education professional, neither should you. Get an insurance quote online for educators' professional liability insurance or contact one of our advisors directly for any questions you might have.
Are you an education consult? Tell us – What challenges have you faced that you needed coverage for?
Written by Hiscox Small Business
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