1.2.1 Insurance

Overview

Appropriate insurance is an essential part of planning educational visits. It helps ensure that participants, staff and activities are properly protected if something unexpected happens.

Advice on insurance arrangements can be obtained from your employer’s insurance department, your Educational Visits Adviser or relevant guidance within your setting.

Many Local Authorities, academy trusts and large employers provide negotiated insurance arrangements. Schools may also participate in the government’s Risk Protection Arrangement (RPA) or use commercial insurance providers.

Checking Your Cover

When planning a visit, you must confirm that the insurance in place covers:

• All planned activities and locations
• Pupils, staff, volunteers and helpers
• Travel arrangements and accommodation where relevant

Policy documents should always be read carefully. Pay particular attention to:

• Policy exclusions
• Limits of indemnity
• Conditions that could invalidate the cover

Where policies claim to include cover for specific risks, such as pandemics or travel disruption, check the detailed wording to confirm what is actually covered.

Personal Accident Insurance

Staff and helpers may already have Personal Accident Insurance (PAI) through existing arrangements such as home insurance, professional associations or travel insurance.

Check what activities are covered and whether any exclusions apply. Some employers may also provide additional personal accident cover for staff.

Travel Insurance

Travel insurance is particularly important for visits that involve overnight stays or overseas travel.

Typical cover may include:

• Personal accident
• Cancellation or curtailment
• Personal liability
• Loss of belongings or money
• Medical treatment and repatriation

Ensure that staff and volunteers are included in the policy and that any pre-existing medical conditions are declared, as failing to do so may invalidate cover.

Consider aspects that may not be covered by school insurance e.g a pupil's own skis or electronic tablet.

Tour Operators and Providers

Some tour operators or activity providers include insurance within their packages. Schools are not required to accept this cover and should review it carefully to ensure it meets their needs.

If suitable cover is already in place, you may request that provider insurance is removed.

Avoiding Dual Insurance

Having multiple policies covering the same risks (sometimes called dual or double insurance) can increase costs, complicate claims and, in some cases, invalidate policies. Always check existing arrangements before purchasing additional cover.

Overseas Visits

For overseas travel, ensure insurance covers:

• Cancellation or changes to travel plans
• Medical treatment and emergency care
• Repatriation if necessary
• Rescue and assistance services
• Costs for parents or carers to travel in exceptional circumstances
• Loss of personal belongings
• Specific activities (e.g. snowsports)

Some policies may also link cover to government foreign travel advice, so this should be checked when planning international visits.