Factsheet
16: Employers Insurance
When anyone
becomes an Employer it’s essential that appropriate insurance is taken out to
provide cover for injury or to protect against possible claims made by an
employee. If you use your Direct Payments (and/or ILF money) to employ
Personal Assistants (PAs) you must be covered by some form of Employers
Liability and Personal Accident Insurance.
The cost
of the annual insurance premium is normally met out of the Direct Payments
start-up costs (though some local authorities may not include this). The
Rowan’s Independent Living Adviser can advise on this and support you with your
insurance application.
You
could explore the option of obtaining appropriate cover through your existing
insurance company, though there are a number of specialist companies that offer
policies specifically for people who employ their own PAs. A popular policy
used by PA employers is the ‘Personal Assistant Employment Protection Policy’
supplied through Fish Insurance.
It’s
important to recognise that, as with any type of insurance cover, there will be
exceptions in the policy. The following points are worth noting with respect to
Fish’s policy:
·
The policy may not cover all employment
scenarios and it is always advisable to check.
·
The employer should take reasonable care to
ensure the safety of their employees. Ideally, the employer should ensure that
the P.A. has received any necessary training to carry out specific work duties
e.g. moving and handling.
·
The policy will not cover the costs
associated with a tribunal hearing or any subsequent costs awarded.
·
The policy covers employment of up to a
maximum of 5 employees working at any one time
·
Injury to the employer is excluded unless
specifically detailed in the personal accident cover
·
Damage to property is excluded (normally
covered under Household policy)
·
The policy requires that ‘material facts’
are disclosed upon application, renewal and throughout the lifetime of the
policy
This
above list highlights just a few considerations. A full list of the conditions
and exceptions will appear in the Policy document. (Please note that similar
conditions/exceptions are not uncommon and will appear in policies from other
insurance companies).
Any
claim made under the Fish policy will always take account of the individual
circumstances and details surrounding the claim. No pre-judgments are made.
If you
have any queries regarding your insurance as an employer, please contact your
local Rowan Independent Living Adviser.