Social Service Professional covers liability for damages arising from errors and omissions in the providing of professional services. Broad coverage applies to nonprofit professionals, including nurses, educational professionals, veterinary professionals, adoption service employees, aides, assisted living providers, childcare workers, counselors, daycare providers, instructors, mentors, nurse assistants, psycho-therapists, psychologists, resident home care providers and supervisors, social workers, therapists and tutors. Psychiatrists and other physicians must have their own professional insurance.
Enhanced Coverage of Nonprofits OWN Social Service Professional
Summaries of key features only. Actual policy language will differ.
- No Deductible
- Occurrence Form, not Claims-Made
- Broad definition of insured includes the nonprofit itself, as well as medical services providers for counseling, evaluation and nursing services if a volunteer or employee. Also includes all other employees and volunteers, as well as interns and students-in-training
From the CLAIM’S FILES
Medicine Dosage Error:
A nonprofit provided home health care to the elderly. One of its nurses misunderstood a client’s medication orders and gave him an improper dosage of medicine that caused his death. The ensuing litigation was protracted because the prescribing physician was also a defendant, along with the nonprofit and its nurse. Eventually we were able to settle the nonprofit’s and nurse’s exposures for $100,000, although it took almost $46,000 of defense legal costs to get that result.
Battery by Teacher:
One of the students in a nonprofit’s school for disabled and difficult students began acting out and needed to be physically restrained. It was subsequently learned that the teacher had not correctly followed take-down procedures, but injuries were minor. The parents retained an attorney and we were able to resolve the claim for a very modest $12,000 to be placed into a college trust fund. No litigation expenses were necessary.
Foster Child Death:
A four-month old foster child, placed in a home certified by a nonprofit, died in her sleep. The natural mother, a recovering drug addict, brought a lawsuit against the foster parents and the nonprofit. Following the plaintiff’s deposition, during which no breach of duty could be identified, we asked for and received a voluntary dismissal of the nonprofit. No loss was paid. Legal costs totaled $18,000.