School Insurance Does Not Guarantee Financial Safety

With school back in session, more and more institutions are recommending school insurance, from preschool all the way up to college. The premise of school insurance is simple; if your child is injured on school property, or on a school field trip or at a school athletic event, the insurance company pays the medical bills or provides a lump sum payment towards them.

But though the premise is simple, the devil is in the details. There are always contingencies and disallowances associated with any insurance plan, and all too often these are not discovered until the injury has already taken place. Examples of limitations might include:

• Requiring loss of limb or other serious impairment for payout
• Disagreements regarding what is considered school time and property and what is not
• Disallowances based on religiosity of events

Depending on school insurance can be a dicey proposition if your child is injured in an interscholastic competition or in the hallways. Dependent upon the scenario, you could be left with a situation where neither the school’s insurance of your own insurance wants to pay, with each claiming the other is liable. Sorting through liability can quickly become overwhelming for the layperson, and in many cases, neither insurance company is truly representing your best interests.

If you or someone you love has been injured in a school related accident, school insurance alone may not be enough to cover the damages. And for most people who do not carry the additional coverage, getting medical bills paid can be extremely difficult. Whether the cause of the accident was negligent supervision, deferred maintenance on equipment or facilities, or some other cause, please consider consulting with an experienced attorney regarding your case.