Employer liability insurance + individual coverage= Necessary?

October 7, 2013 10:59 AM

I am a clinical social worker (Therapist/supervisor) and I'm covered by my employer's liability insurance. I've been told it can be helpful to have additional liability coverage. I'm not sure if I need it, and the NASW (Nat'l Association of SW'ers) policy feels scam-my. To get NASW insurance, (the most common insurer for sw'ers), you need to be an NASW member, which is approx $180, on top of paying the policy premium. I don't trust google results because anything could pop up, regardless of quality. Practicing in MN if that's relevant; I also have an adjunct teaching position. IDK if that college has social work liability coverage for clinical staff. 1. Do I need two liability policies? If so, why? 2. Can I get good malpractice/liability coverage independent of NASW?
posted by ShadePlant to Work & Money (3 answers total)

Best answer: You don't list seeing any private patients, but that is the big reason folks get their own insurance. Basically, if you are doing anything that is not associated with your employer that could be considered to be clinical social work (I don't think teaching counts), then you need your own insurance. I'm not sure about whether there would ever be daylight between coverage that you need and coverage that your employer's insurance provides. At the very least, it might be useful to know what would happen should you and your employer be at odds about what you should have done in a particular situation.

NASW insurance recently changed. They used to offer insurance through American Professional Agency, that was the same deal--you needed to be a NASW member to participate. NASW recently moved to providing their own insurance, in a move that many folks took to be purely motivated by money. I kept Amer. Proff. Agency, as did most of the social workers I know. It's cheap, reasonably comprehensive (it does not have slip and fall coverage, which the new NASW insurance has), and there did not seem a reason to change. Other agencies that CSWs I know use are Health Professionals Service Organization and American Home Assurance.
posted by OmieWise at 11:19 AM on October 7, 2013 [2 favorites]

Best answer: If you're seeing clients, I would recommend your own insurance, unless you can determine that the specific coverage provided by your organization liability policy is the same as the coverage provided by and individual policy...shop and compare . I'm insured through HPSO. The coverage is sufficient and the price was reasonable.
posted by HuronBob at 11:41 AM on October 7, 2013 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: Thanks; both answers cover the information I needed. I'll lurk a bit to see if there's any new input but your answers are very helpful.
posted by ShadePlant at 1:05 PM on October 7, 2013