Insurance Question

[adelaide]

So just before I started my child care 2 months ago, I made sure I had a child care policy added to my home insurance and I don't have this recorded anywhere but I know I asked about whether it covers me if a parent accuses me of abuse of any kind and I'm pretty sure the person I talked to said yes. Now, I've actually received the documents outlining the policy changes and there's an exception in the small print about sexual abuse accusations not being covered. What? Obviously, I am not going to abuse the children in my care but that may not necessarily stop a parent from falsely accusing me and being that I'm the only person here with the kids, it will be my word against theirs AND I'll have no protection? I can just see it now: one false accusation and there goes my business, my reputation, my finances. Honestly, it scares me enough to make me think of quitting. Does anybody else's insurance cover/not cover that? Has anyone been through anything like that? Any suggestions on how to best protect myself? For example, if I was working at a center, I would try not to be alone with the kids but if it's me, at home, alone, what alibi could I possibly have? It almost seems to me that it won't matter whether it's true or not because how could anyone prove either way and I imagine, even if I was acquitted, it would still cost me financially, spoil my reputation and make me lose business.:no:

[mimi]

I haven't heard of this clause. How would an insurance company protect you from this allegation? Pay for legal fees perhaps????? Anyone know, as I really curious now too.

[cfred]

This was something that had never occurred to me in the past. It was brought to my attention when I casually inquired about work through an agency. THEY insure workers for accusations of sexual abuse. Apparently it can be a concern, though I've never run across it in my career, nor do I know anyone who's had a problem with it. It certainly warrants more investigating. If the agencies can offer us protection, there must be a rider that can be added for private dayhomes.....i would think. Basically, she said that if someone with the agency is accused, the coverage would allow that person to defend themselves, legally speaking. However, I would think that even if a provider's name is cleared, that would be the end of their career in the field. Scary stuff.

[Spixie33]

I have day home insurance but I am not sure if it would cover me if allegations of abuse ever came up. I attended a daycare course through our region and the instructor advised that the best way to cover your own butt is to write a journal for yourself every day and keep it.

If you get accused 5 years from now because a child who is not 8 years old suddenly decides to tell the parents that at Miss Mary's house they touched me......well most of us will probably have a hard time accounting for our day 5 years from now.

What she suggested is that every day you make a few notes for YOURSELF...who attended daycare that day, did anyone stop by like one of your friends' sons or the furnace repairman, did anything unusual happen like you had to give one of the children a bath etc....

Then you have everything documented and dated for every day and you can back yourself up by showing your records.

It sounds like a safe and wise idea. I don't do it but I can imagine it would be your best defense.

[adelaide]

What also made me think about it is that today, dcm mentioned that 8 month old dcb has red and sore looking genitals that she and hubby noticed last night. She wasn't accusing me at all, just asking me to apply cream at diaper changes but the thought occurred to me that if she really wanted to screw me over or if she got really paranoid, she could think I did something and I don't even have other kids here as any sort of witness. So I actually did write that down today. And I guess by insurance protection, I mean paying for legal costs if I'm proven innocent (because that wouldn't be right if a provider actually did abuse a child and was "insured" against it).

[Inspired by Reggio]

Ya I am not sure exactly how insurance would help ~ allegations of this sort would be 'criminal' in nature unless of course they tried to 'sue' you in civil court for pain and suffering of some sort than you might be able to use your business liability insurance?

To be honest even after 25 years in the business you learn to reflect on something new everyday ... I have never thought to see if my home childcare ryder / insurance specifically covers me for this because it honestly never occurred to me of being accused of such a thing :(

Adding it to the list of things to ask how an accusation like that would be handled in a civil suit?