This is one question that a new live-in carer may well ask. It may seem that you have plenty of out-of-pocket expenses when you first begin life as a carer and having personal insurance may be yet another expense before you even start working.
So, do you really need insurance?
If you work as a self-employed live-in carer you should have your own personal insurance policy. Many clients will insist that you have some type of Public Liability Insurance (PLI) in place before you start. In fact, some agencies will not find you placements until you have this.
The reason for having your own insurance is because there are some risks involved in the care industry. Administering medication and helping fragile clients to move about pose risks not only to you but also to your client.
Unfortunately, errors and accidents do happen, and in an industry where the main clientele is frail and unbalanced it is very likely that during your career someone will have a fall.
Having PLI also gives you protection in case of personal injury. While as carers we should never be lifting a client, there is a certain amount of heavy movement when using manual hoists, particularly over carpeted areas. It is very easy to tweak a muscle in your back if you are doing this. You may find yourself unable to work because of back pain. No work means no money.
If you are directly employed by an agency, then you will (and should be) included in the company Employers Liability Insurance so it is worth checking this when you start.
What should the policy cover?
Coverage will vary from one company to another but here is a list of what you should be looking for.
There are several different insurance companies who provide insurance designed for live-in carers and all will set you back about the same amount which is in the region of around £100 per year. This will vary slightly from one company to the next, as will the items that they cover.
It may be confusing to decide which company to use and the best way to decide is to join one of the many carer forums. Here you will be able to post a question and get answers both in favour or against insurance companies.
To sum up
Many carers go through their entire career and never use their insurance policy to claim anything so you may wonder if it is worth taking the risk and not having your own coverage. Accidents can happen in the blink of an eye, when you least expect it such as when you are tired after too many night calls and lose concentration for an instant.
It really is better in this career to be safe rather than sorry, and even if you never make a claim from the insurance company you will have peace of mind knowing that you are covered in most situations at every placement you go to.
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