How to make sure your insurance covers your NDIS services
Does your NDIS insurance cover the NDIS services your business offers? Or will your business go up in flames in the event of an unexpected incident or disaster?
If you offer any of these services, you better keep reading:
- Supported Independent Living (SIL)
- Specialised Disability Accommodation (SDA)
- Nursing
- Social groups
- Support workers that administer medication
These services include specific risks that many standard policies do not cover. You may need a customised NDIS insurance cover.
Could any of these scenarios happen in your NDIS business?
- Your rented SIL property has a fire
- Your rented SIL property is badly damaged by a participant
- You rent an office for your Admin team
- Your Support Workers or Nurses administer medication
- A risk of molestation or sexual abuse in a group environment
- You own a fleet of vehicles
- You have contractors or volunteers working for you
Connect with a Gallagher Specialist NDIS Insurance expert
Could this happen in your NDIS business?
Your rented SIL property has a fire
A support worker was cooking with oil and left the pan unattended to assist a Participant. The pan catches fire and the property is burnt down.
The landlord would deem your support worker negligent in causing the property damage.
Most standard Public Liability policies do not cover property damage to rental properties, so you may not be covered by your insurance and would have to pay for the costs of all repairs!
Your rented SIL property is badly damaged by a participant?
Not all Public Liability and Professional Indemnity policies cover you for the delivery of SIL/In home support.
Only Commercial Property Insurance will cover you for loss or damage to the building you are renting, covering risks like fire, theft, flood and vandalism.
Residential Property Insurance is not appropriate for a SIL or STA properties, because the insurer will view this as a business that is run from the property.
You rent an office for your Admin team
A standard Public Liability policy does not include property damage to commercial rental properties.
If you or your employees cause damage to your office with something simple like a faulty toaster causing a fire and you knew the toaster was faulty, you would be considered to be negligent and you may not be covered by your current Public Liability policy.
Commercial property insurance will cover you for loss or damage to the building you are renting only if you are legally obliged to insure it under a commercial lease agreement,
You must ensure that your Public Liability insurance covers this risk.
Your Support Workers or Nurses administer medication
Your Public Liability and Professional Indemnity policy is unlikely to cover these activities.
If you are a healthcare professional (a registered nurse or allied health professional), you need to know that not all professional indemnity insurance will cover claims related to professional negligence, including errors in administering medication. This includes situations where improper administration of medication causes harm to a patient.
If you are a non-healthcare professional and you need to administer medication (working as a disability support worker), you must check your policy to ensure it covers this activity.
Not all Professional Indemnity policies automatically include coverage for medication administration unless:
- it's explicitly stated or
- you're working in a role that routinely involves medical tasks.
CHECK YOUR POLICIES to ensure that medical malpractice coverage is included in your policy , especially if you have Registered Nurses delivering care.
You own a fleet of vehicles
CTP will cover your clients and staff while they are driving your vehicles, BUT not when they are stationary!
Vehicles fitted with lifts and hoists may not be covered under your Public Liability policy.
If an injury occurs whilst a participant is being transferred into a vehicle, the CTP policy may decline cover because:
- the vehicle was not involved in an accident and
- it was not in motion.
You must make sure that your Public Liability insurance covers 'tool of trade' coverage, which will cover this type of a claim.
A risk of molestation or sexual abuse in a group environment
When providing direct support to people, there is the risk of abuse or allegations of abuse.
It’s possible your current Public Liability or Professional Indemnity policy might:
- specifically exclude sexual abuse or molestation or
- remove cover in 'out of home care' accommodation services like SIL and STA.
These risks can be covered by an extension to your current policy or a separate policy. Your specific circumstances will be considered.
You have Contractors or Volunteers working for you
Some Public Liability and Professional Indemnity policies do not cover Contractors or Volunteers.
If you engage Support Workers as Contractors their activities might not be covered by your current policies, creating gaps in your insurance cover.
You can arrange cover for contractors under a Public Liability and Professional Indemnity policy if these activities are declared.
Connect with a Gallagher Specialist NDIS Insurance expert
What happens if I don't have the right NDIS specific Insurance?
You pay more and
When an insurer is not familiar with a type of service (like SIL or SDA), they will need to 'price up' your policy to accommodate for that uncertainty (and protect themselves).
In the event of a claim, you are only paid out for the services and incidences covered in your policy. If your SIL property is damaged and your insurance policy does not include Property Damage, you claim will not be covered.
How can I check if I am covered
This is where you need to talk to Gallagher Insurance Experts.
Gallagher are NDIS Insurance experts who can advise you on how to access insurance for higher-risk services including SIL, SDA and much more.
MyCareSpace can connect you directly with a specialist NDIS Insurance Broker.
What about insurance for Support Workers, Allied Health and other services?
If you are not engaging in higer risk activities and looking for more standardised insurance policies, you can get you covered online instantly.
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