Insureon helps social workers compare small business insurance quotes from top U.S. insurance companies online.
Get several coverage options with one easy application.
Professional liability insurance can cover lawsuits related to clinical social work mistakes or oversights, such as failing to notice a child is in danger. It's sometimes called malpractice insurance.
A general liability insurance policy covers common third-party risks, including bodily injuries and property damage. For example, it will cover legal defense costs if a client trips on your front steps.
A business owner's policy, or BOP, is a cost-effective way for a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) to buy general liability insurance coverage and commercial property insurance together.
Cyber liability insurance covers financial losses from cyberattacks and data breaches. It's recommended for therapy and counseling professionals that store personal information, like credit cards.
Most states require workers' compensation for social services that have employees. It also protects policyholders from work injury costs that health insurance might deny.
Commercial auto insurance can pay for property damage and medical bills in an accident. It also covers car theft, weather damage, and vandalism.
A social service business with fewer employees will pay less for commercial insurance than a larger company.
Factors that affect social work insurance costs include:
It's easy to get social worker insurance policies if you have your company information on hand. Our application will ask for basic facts about your professional services business, such as revenue and number of employees. You can buy a policy online and get a certificate of insurance with Insureon in three easy steps:
Insureon's licensed insurance agents work with top-rated AM Best providers to find the best liability insurance for social workers, whether you work independently or hire full- or part-time employees.
Hear from customers like you who purchased small business insurance.
Social workers aren't typically required by state law to carry medical malpractice insurance, also known as professional liability insurance or errors and omissions (E&O) insurance. However, many employers, including hospitals, healthcare networks, social service agencies, and private practices, require this coverage as a condition of employment or contracting.
Even when not required, carrying social worker malpractice insurance is a smart risk management strategy. This type of insurance helps protect against costly lawsuits related to professional negligence, such as a claim that a client was harmed due to a misdiagnosis, breach of confidentiality, or failure to provide appropriate care. Without malpractice coverage for counselors, a single lawsuit could result in significant financial loss and reputational damage.
In addition to malpractice insurance/professional liability coverage, licensed clinical social workers (LCSWs) should consider several other types of insurance to fully protect their practice and meet compliance requirements.
Each of these policies works in tandem with your core LCSW liability insurance to help you manage risk, comply with healthcare regulations, and maintain your professional reputation.
Social workers have a legal and ethical responsibility to provide a reasonable duty of care to their clients. This means providing the right type and quality of care based on the ethics and guidelines of your profession. When that duty is breached—either through action or inaction—and harm results, a social worker may be held liable for negligence or malpractice.
Examples of professional negligence in social work include:
To reduce the risk of lawsuits, social workers should follow professional risk management strategies, such as maintaining detailed records, securing client consent, recognizing and addressing red flags promptly, and staying up to date with licensing requirements and best practices.
Above all, consistently adhering to the established standard of care in social work is key to protecting clients and your professional reputation.
The main difference between occurrence and claims-made insurance policies is when coverage is triggered.
An occurrence-based policy covers incidents that happen during the policy period, even if the claim is filed years later. This type of policy offers long-term protection for events that occurred while the policy was active, regardless of when the claim is reported.
A claims-made policy only covers claims that are both filed and reported while the policy is active. If the policy expires or is canceled, you typically won’t be covered unless you’ve purchased tail coverage to extend protection for late-reported claims.
This distinction matters when selecting coverage, as the type of policy can affect both the cost and how long you’re protected. For instance, malpractice/professional liability policies are claims-made , while policies like general liability and commercial auto are occurrence based.