Teacher Liability Insurance: What It Is, Costs, and Companies

Teachers, educators, and instructors face a number of hazards as a result of their employment. Students may be hurt while under the supervision of a teacher, or parents may blame a teacher for a student's poor academic performance. Even if you are not found guilty, your legal defense costs could be substantial. Fortunately, some insurance firms provide reasonable policies with comprehensive coverage for educators. We'll go over the many forms of insurance you'll need and the best providers to provide them.

Do I Need Teacher Liability Insurance?

If you're a teacher, you'll almost certainly require teacher liability insurance. "Teacher" is a broad term in the insurance industry. It could include: 

• School educator
• Tutor
• Early intervention specialist
• Yoga teacher 
• Extracurricular instructor

Insurance for educators covers more than just student injuries caused by negligence. Students and parents have already sued teachers for failing to interfere in bullying and breaching students' free speech rights. 

You may believe that the school district's liability insurance will cover you, but this is not the case. Because you are not named in the school district's policy, they will not pay for your legal defense if they are sued. 

Nonetheless, many teacher associations provide liability insurance to their members. Forrest T. Jones & Company provides teacher liability insurance plans to more than 80 major education organizations. The National Education Association also provides liability insurance to its members. Check with your association to determine if your membership includes liability insurance. 

What Is Teacher Liability Insurance?

Teacher liability insurance is a collection of coverages that certain providers offer as a package. Depending on your classroom and the type of training you deliver, you may require some of the following coverages but not others. 

General Liability Insurance

A commercial general liability policy will cover a teacher's legal bills and judgements for bodily injury, emotional anguish, or property damage caused by non-professional negligence. Personal and advertising damage, such as wrongful invasion of privacy, are also covered. It also covers medical expenses if someone gets injured while you are teaching. A parent, for example, could sue you for carelessness if a pupil falls and fractures a bone while under your supervision. In this circumstance, general liability insurance is designed to protect you. 

Professional Liability Insurance

Professional liability insurance covers you in the event that a parent or student sues you for losses related to a variety of issues, including professional negligence and incorrect advice. A parent, for example, could sue you if you do not interfere when children bully one of your students.

Business Personal Property Insurance

While general liability insurance protects you against third-party property damage claims, such as damaging a student's assistive technology device, it does not cover your business equipment or teaching materials. Your equipment and supplies are covered by business personal property insurance if they are damaged while you are teaching. For example, if a student spills milk on your laptop, business personal property insurance would cover the cost of repairing or replacing it. 

Business Owner’s Policy

A business owner's policy is a collection of coverages that often includes general liability insurance, commercial property insurance, and business interruption insurance. If you work from home or rent a space for your business, some companies may allow you to customize this coverage.

Abuse and Molestation Insurance

If you are found not guilty of suspected abuse or molestation, certain teacher liability insurance policies will support your legal defense. Other policies will not provide any coverage for these types of claims at all. If you have a gap in your general and professional liability coverage or want greater coverage for abuse and molestation lawsuits, you may need to obtain an endorsement or separate policy. 

Commercial Auto Insurance

If you're a tutor or yoga instructor who teaches in students' homes and travels from one student to the next, you'll almost certainly require a business auto policy. Some personal auto policies may cover business use of your vehicle on occasion, but don't assume yours does. If you primarily use your automobile for tutoring or private yoga, your personal policy will most certainly exclude you from coverage. Commercial auto insurance, like personal car insurance, often covers bodily injury liability, property damage liability, and collision and comprehensive coverage. 

Teacher Liability Insurance Cost

The cost of teacher liability insurance varies according to the type of coverage you require and the state in which you teach. Forrest T. Jones has annual premiums as low as $94 for W-2 educators who are members of an association, and as low as $176 for independent contractors. However, instructors who require commercial auto insurance may have to pay between $150 and $2,400 per year.

Teacher Liability Insurance Companies

Forrest T. Jones & Company

Pros

• For association members, fees begin at $94 per month.
• Covers a wide range of educators in a variety of venues, including online.
• Coverage of occurrences for W-2 educators
• Some organization memberships provide up to $2 million in coverage.

Cons

• Does not provide business personal property or commercial auto coverage.
• Association membership is required for independent contractor insurance.

Forrest T. Jones & Company provides a liability policy to members of over 80 educational associations. If you are a W-2 employee of a public or private school and are not a member of an association, you can purchase coverage independently. Policies are reasonably priced and provide legal defense coverage if you are found not guilty of a criminal offense.

Nationwide 

Pros

• J.D. Power ranking is high.
• Provides several endorsements
• Up to $1 million in additional coverage
• A+ financial strength rating with AM Best

Cons

• Intended to be added to existing coverage
• Must purchase through an agent

If you require additional coverage beyond what your association provides, Nationwide is a solid alternative. Several endorsements are available, including assault-related personal property coverage, identity theft, private instruction, and accidental death and dismemberment. Teachers liability insurance quotes are not available on Nationwide's website, therefore you must call for a quotation and coverage details.

Proliability

Pros

• Annual coverage of up to $4 million
• Coverage for approved legal expenditures is unlimited.
• Provides an ABA therapy and early intervention program.

Cons

• There are little coverage details available online.

Proliability provides some of the highest limitations, as well as coverage for legal and expenses that exceed those limits. However, coverage information is not available online—you must provide contact information to learn more.

Thimble

Pros

• Provides month-to-month or year-to-year coverage that can be paused if necessary.
• Provides general and professional liability insurance coverage.
• Provides a quick insurance certificate 

Cons

• Does not provide commercial auto

Thimble provides up to $2 million in coverage for independent contractors who teach or tutor. You can change or interrupt your coverage at any time, which is very useful for seasonal tutors. Because the company does not provide commercial auto coverage, tutors who drive to their sessions will need to find another business auto policy.

Hiscox

Pros

• Policies for tutoring firms are available.
• Offers commercial auto
• Has coverage designed for yoga instructors
• Option for monthly payments

Cons

• Not intended for W-2 employees in the education field.

Hiscox provides tutors and yoga instructors with instant online quotations to design a package of coverages that includes general and professional liability insurance. This material, however, is not intended for W-2 school teachers. 

BiBerk

Pros

• Underwritten by A++ AM Best rated insurers
• Quick and simple online quote 
• Extra coverages are included in the cost of the business owner's policy.
• Provides commercial auto

Cons

• There is no coverage for illegal conduct.

BiBerk provides coverage for everything from commercial vehicles to professional liability, but their plans are not tailored to teachers and do not cover criminal conduct, so you may be out of luck if you are accused of abuse or molestation.

Additional Teacher Liability Insurance Companies to Consider