Operating any business involves risk. Child care centers face situations daily that expose the owners or operators to financial loss if the center were to be found liable or responsible for the injury or death of a child or the child’s parent, if the parent were on the premises. Therefore, it is important to increase your awareness and take regular preventive measures to guard yourself and your business from possible legal liability. Providing a safe environment at all times, following requirements for applicable licensing, and purchasing liability insurance are all important preventive measures to protect yourself and your child care program.
As caretakers of children, you and your staff have the duty to act with reasonable care while caring for children at your child care center. Sometimes children get hurt in accidents even when they are under the best of care. For example, they may trip over another child, get poked in the eye, get their hand caught in a door, or they may fall from or get hit by a swing.
However, if a child is injured while under the care of your center, the parents might sue the center if they believe the injury was the result of the negligence of the center or the staff. Negligence, in legal terms, means that a person who was under a legal duty to act with reasonable care failed to perform that duty. If the court decides that you are “liable,” (that your negligence caused the child’s injury) you will be required to pay compensation. Parents may ask you to pay medical expenses as well as damages to compensate for pain, loss (such as eyesight), and mental suffering. Often the medical expenses are the smallest of the four.
Take a look at your child care center’s liability policy and give us a call for a free comparison quote. Quite often owners default to their personal insurance agent, or a business insurance agent who works to try and package policies together piecemeal. The resulting policies often have gaps in coverage, or even worse, you’re paying for coverage more than once. It pays to select an insurer who specialized in Child Care coverage, who can put their years of experience to work for you–resulting in immediate cost savings to you.
