Social work insurance

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Professional indemnity insurance for social workers UK
Professional indemnity insurance for social workers UK
Professional indemnity insurance for social workers UK
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What is social worker insurance?

Social worker insurance isn’t one thing; it’s several insurance products that combine to meet the specific insurance needs of your social work business.

The essential insurance that all social workers should have is professional indemnity. Covering commercial legal expenses is vital, so we include it as a standard. Depending on your work, you may consider including public liability or business equipment with your social worker insurance.

How much does social worker insurance cost?

Professional indemnity insurance for social workers starts at £7.67 per month, and the cost increases based on the required insurance limits, business size, and claims history.

Self employed professional indemnity insurance
Professional indemnity

from £7.67 per month

Provides you with legal defence against claims of professional mistake or negligence causing a financial loss to your clients.

Up to £2,000,000 cover

Zero excess

Dedicated legal team

A+ insurer

Competitive prices

Core cover
Self employed professional indemnity insurance

Professional indemnity

from £8.89 per month

Provides you with legal defence against claims of professional mistake or negligence causing a financial loss to your clients.

Up to £2,000,000 cover

Zero excess

Dedicated legal team

A+ insurer

Competitive prices

Core cover
Self employed professional indemnity insurance

Professional indemnity

from £9.54 per month

Provides you with legal defence against claims of professional mistake or negligence causing a financial loss to your clients.

Up to £2,000,000 cover

Zero excess

Dedicated legal team

A+ insurer

Competitive prices

Core cover
Self employed professional indemnity insurance

Professional indemnity

from £20.41 per month

Provides you with legal defence against claims of professional mistake or negligence causing a financial loss to your clients.

Up to £2,000,000 cover

Zero excess

Dedicated legal team

A+ insurer

Competitive prices

Core cover
Self employed professional indemnity insurance

Professional indemnity

from £22.78 per month

Provides you with legal defence against claims of professional mistake or negligence causing a financial loss to your clients.

Up to £2,000,000 cover

Zero excess

Dedicated legal team

A+ insurer

Competitive prices

Core cover
Commercial legal expenses insurance.
Business legal protect

Cover of £100,000 commercial legal expenses included with your policy subscription.

Protects you and your business against a range of issues not typically covered by professional indemnity or public liability.

IR35 & HMRC investigations

Legal matters concerning your business

Negative PR (£25,000 cover)

Criminal prosecution

Compliance & regulation issues

Unpaid invoices (over £200)

Also includes free telephone advice & help from qualified professionals.

Tax and commercial legal advice

Counselling for you and your staff

Access to a legal template library

Identity theft assistance

Included
Self employed public liability insurance.
Public liability

from +£4.76 per month

Protects your business against claims of causing an accidental injury or property damage to either your clients or a third party.

Up to £2,000,000 cover including products liability

No excess

Expert legal team

A+ specialist insurers

Covers claims against your client caused by your business

Business equipment insurance.
Electronic business equipment

from +£7.00 per month

Pays for repair or replacement if your portable electronic equipment (and accessories) get damaged or lost.

Equipment up to £10,000 cover (£3,500 per item)

Accessories are included (£500 per item)

Hired equipment is covered

Worldwide - your devices are covered anywhere you are

Personal accident insurance.
Business owner protect

from +£10.07 per month

Reimburses your taxable business expenses while you’re recovering from a serious illness or injury.

Up to £2,000 a month

Up to 6 months following the first 30 days of illness

Any tax deductible expenses included

Receive a lump sump payout if you suffer an accident leaving you with partial or total disablement:

£5,000 lump sum

Fast customer service

Quick payout

Answer 4 questions then select the policies and limits you need.
Answer 4 questions then select the policies and limits you need.
What people say
2 March
Extremely impressed

Extremely impressed with the professional and supportive service I received.

Kellie Williams
on Google
16 February
Very efficient

After shopping around for business liability cover, I found suited, I had a few questions and Jana from suited was very efficient...

Chezza
on Trustpilot
14 February
Great!

The website is easy to use and the process is intuitive, clear and easy to follow.

Matt M
on Trustpilot
11 February

I was recommended Suited, because I’d been stalling. Simple to use website, offered clear, concise information and selection...

Mokolada
on Trustpilot
12 December

Really fantastic service by the suited insure team! Always found the insurance side to be a bit confusing but the team took me...

Michael Ryan
on Google
15 September

A simple and flexible service for what I required. Great communication from start to finish.

Matthew Allen
on Google
1 August

I was looking for business insurance this easy to use and very well explained web site made the process simple and painless. Had a quote...

Piers Field
on Trustpilot
In detail

Why do social workers need insurance?

Social workers require insurance in order to comply with contractual and regulatory obligations. Your profession involves the noble responsibility of safeguarding and assisting vulnerable individuals, but it also carries inherent risks.

Compensation demands for being negligent

Clients trust you to provide them with advice and expertise that improves their lives. If you fail to meet their expectations, they may feel justified in seeking compensation.

Claims of causing an injury

As a social worker, there is a risk of facing lawsuits from clients if the assistance you provide results in an accident.

Something you said is taken out of context

During your one-on-one sessions, it's important to be mindful of what you say and how it may be interpreted by your clients. Any discriminatory or inappropriate remarks could lead to legal action.

Accusations of failing duty of care

Despite your best efforts, there may be instances where your actions are perceived as inadequate, resulting in a case of failing to fulfil your duty of care.

Professional indemnity insurance for social workers

Professional indemnity insurance protects social workers from the risks implicit in your work. During your day, you give advice or make recommendations to clients that can have significant real-life impacts.

If a client claims that they followed your advice, and it went on to negatively affect them, you could find yourself facing significant legal problems. Therefore, professional indemnity cover is a must-have backup plan for an independent social worker. 

If, despite your best efforts, you may face a legal demand for compensation, your professional indemnity insurance will provide legal representation and take care of any payouts if you are found liable.

What does social worker professional indemnity insurance cover?

In your role as a social worker, it is important to be aware of potential risks that may have negative consequences on your career, financial stability, and overall livelihood.

Professional indemnity insurance exists to respond to legal accusations made against you by dissatisfied clients.

Cover includes:

  • Failing your duty of care
  • Acting negligently
  • Giving the wrong advice or recommendation
  • Failing your responsibilities as a social worker

For example:

  • A client claims your professional advice caused them harm
  • You were unable to give the correct advice when you should have
  • You shared a client's confidential information with an unauthorised party
  • You acted in a discriminatory manner 
  • You caused offence

Switching professional indemnity insurance

Typically, in the UK, if you cancel a professional indemnity policy, you can no longer claim against it.

Therefore, if you switch your social work insurance provider, be sure your new policy covers your past work; this is called “retroactive cover”.

Should I keep professional indemnity insurance if I pause my social working activities?

It’s wise to keep your professional indemnity if you’re taking a break or retiring from social working. Claims against professional misconduct can surface months or years after you delivered the work.

Remember: If you cancel your policy, your insurance coverage will end, including coverage for any previous work.

How long you keep your cover in place is up to you. Consider the type of social work you did and the likelihood that a client might bring a claim against you. 

Public liability insurance for social workers

Public liability insurance protects social workers against accusations of causing an accidental injury, death or property damage.

As a social worker, you meet your clients face-to-face in various settings. If you work independently, you are unlikely to have the chance to think about the implications of who might be at fault if an accident happens.

What does social worker public liability insurance cover?

Public liability insurance protects you against legal accusations and compensation demands when either your client or a third party alleges that you have caused.

Cover includes:

  • accidental injury or death
  • accidental property damage

For example:

  • During a social work visit, someone may claim you bumped the desk and caused damage to an expensive electronic device
  • Your decision to intervene led to an accidental injury or death

Other insurance social workers buy

As a social worker, other insurance you might need will depend on your circumstances. Are you capable of replacing your computer equipment in case it gets lost, damaged or stolen? Would you be able to handle a legal dispute if it arises? Can you manage an HMRC tax audit?

Commercial legal expenses insurance

Most commercial legal expenses insurance will protect social workers against various tax and legal issues you may encounter due to your profession, which are not covered by professional indemnity or public liability.

At Suited, we combined £100,000 of commercial legal expenses insurance with helplines and other tools to better assist social works in dealing with these issues. We call this Business Legal Protect, and it’s part of your subscription.

Business Legal Protect offers qualified advice and assistance with:

  • Legal and tax matters concerning your business
  • Criminal prosecution
  • Compliance & regulation issues

For example:

  • HMRC flags you for an IR35 investigation
  • You need legal help chasing a major unpaid invoice
  • You need guidance on compliance issues for your business

Business equipment insurance

As a social worker, you may need to collect notes and evidence to support your cases. This may require you to carry specialised equipment.

If your work relies heavily on electronic business equipment, it may be beneficial to consider electronic business equipment insurance. This can help ease the financial burden of repairing or replacing essential equipment if it's lost or stolen.

Social workers we insure

Suited offers comprehensive insurance policies that cater to the needs of a wide range of social workers, including:

  • Adult carers
  • Auditors
  • Best interest assessors
  • Care managers
  • Carers for older people
  • Child and youth carers
  • Counsellors
  • Dieticians
  • Drugs & alcohol workers
  • Family social workers
  • Grants and benefits assessors
  • Mental health workers
  • Occupational therapy workers
  • and more..

Shopping for social work liability insurance

Regardless of your decision to use Suited as an insurance provider for your social worker business, it is important to keep the following considerations in mind:

Cheap social worker insurance

Don't just look at price when it comes to social worker insurance. Make sure your provider offers quality after-sales service and is easily accessible for any inquiries or concerns. Suited offers multiple communication options and responds promptly.

The reputation of the insurer is important

You want to make sure you have good coverage when you need it most. That's why it's important to choose an insurer with a good reputation for payouts. At Suited, we only work with financially stable insurers that have an A+ rating.

Many providers charge fees to amend or cancel 

Be cautious of low initial prices from other providers, as they may hide additional fees for monthly payments or policy amendments and cancellations. At Suited, we don't charge any extra fees, and you can cancel anytime without any further payments.

Watch for non-refundable deals

Some insurers offer annual packages at attractive prices, but be sure to read the fine print. Policies under £100 are often non-refundable. With Suited, you only pay for the insurance you use.

In this section
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FAQs

Common questions

Do I need to have professional indemnity insurance for social workers?

It’s not a legal requirement but it is a sensible investment into the protection of your business. If you're a member of a regulatory body or work for a local authority, it might be a condition.

Is arranging social worker insurance conditional on being qualified?

If you wish to arrange insurance with Suited, you need to hold suitable professional qualifications or experience.

Do I need to submit my qualifications to get social worker insurance with Suited?

Suited only requires you to be qualified and/or experienced but you do not have to provide evidence. However, you may be asked to do so in the event of a claim.

What is social work liability insurance?

Social work liability insurance typically consists of two covers - professional indemnity and public liability. They protect social workers from legal accusations of wrongdoing or causing accidental harm or damage.

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Answer 4 questions then select the policies and limits you need.
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Social worker professional indemnity insurance
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If you call to cancel within the first 2 weeks we’ll give you a full refund.

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