When you run a domiciliary care business, you know that things change all the time. While you might be offering personal care one month, the next you may be supporting complex needs featuring overnight visits or branching into live-in care. Being so flexible is important when you’re caring for people with different needs – but it means your insurance also needs to be adaptable.
So, if you’ve started offering services that you didn’t before, make sure to tell your broker or insurer.
When you set up your insurance, you answered the questions based on the services you were providing at the time. But if your services have since changed or expanded and your broker doesn’t know, your policy may not cover your requirements.
That may mean:
Elements of your work aren’t covered
Claims you make could be delayed, reduced or even declined
Queries from regulators or commissioners
Additional stress
None of this is what anyone wants – and may be prevented with a quick conversation.
Some changes in the services you offer are obvious, but others might happen so gradually you won’t notice anything’s changed. But if you’ve started to offer any of the following, it’s worth telling your broker:
Dementia care, complex care or end-of-life support
Medication support or more hands-on clinical tasks
Overnight or live-in care
Care for children or young people
Support that involves moving and handling equipment
Services in new settings like supported living
This isn't an exhaustive list- if the care you provide changes, looks or feels different to what you were doing before, you should discuss it with your broker.
It is important that you discuss your insurance needs in detail with your broker and that you let them know of any changes. When they get a full picture of the services you’re currently offering, they can check:
Your liability cover is at level that is suitable for your business
If your professional indemnity cover reflects the services you provide
You haven’t outgrown your limits or missed anything important
It’s just about making sure your policy works when you need it to so you’re not unpleasantly surprised at a later date.
The care sector is subject to a range of regulatory and contractual requirements. Keeping your broker updated is important not just for insurance purposes but for your own peace of mind – so that you know things are properly set up behind the scenes.
Keeping your insurance arrangements up to date may support your wider governance and risk management responsibilities, but it is important to highlight that it does not replace any regulatory, legal or contractual obligations that apply to your business.
There’s one thing we always say – if you’re not sure whether something counts as a significant change, tell us anyway. There’s no downside to double-checking.
At Everywhen, we work with care providers every day. We know that the sector is busy and always changing, and that through all of that it’s good to feel supported rather than buried in jargon. That’s why we always focus on keeping things simple and straightforward, while helping you to arrange the insurance you need.
This information contained in this article is for general information purposes only. It does not constitute legal or other professional advice and cannot be relied upon as such. Should you have any queries, we recommend that you consult the appropriate professional adviser. The links provided in this document are for reference only. Please note that we are not responsible for the content of any linked site.
