Membership Insurance
Why is insurance important for Educators?
Working in homebased childcare means you are caring for children in real homes, real communities, and real public spaces. Even with excellent supervision and safe practice, unexpected things can still happen.
HBCA insurance exists to help protect you when situations go beyond everyday bumps and scrapes. Because accidents don’t need to be your fault to become your problemIf a child in your care accidentally damages someone else’s property or a member of the public is injured, you could be drawn into a complaint or claim. Public Liability cover helps protect you from the financial and legal impact of those situations.
Because complaints can be stressful and seriousIf concerns are raised with authorities such as WorkSafe, Police, or other regulatory bodies relating to your role as an educator, the process can be overwhelming. Statutory Liability insurance helps cover legal defence costs if you need professional representation.
Because you work beyond your front doorEducators take children into the community — parks, libraries, playgroups, walks, and events. Once you are outside your property, your normal home insurance does not protect you for childcare-related incidents involving the public.
Because one incident can be expensiveLegal advice, defence costs, and third-party damage claims can quickly add up — even when you have done nothing intentionally wrong. Insurance helps make sure you are not facing those costs alone. Because being professional means being protectedHaving the right insurance in place is part of working responsibly as a homebased educator. It gives reassurance to you, families, and the Association that you are supported if something unexpected occurs.
Important to rememberHBCA insurance supports you in your role as an educator, but it does not replace your personal home and contents insurance.
HBCA insurance exists to help protect you when situations go beyond everyday bumps and scrapes. Because accidents don’t need to be your fault to become your problemIf a child in your care accidentally damages someone else’s property or a member of the public is injured, you could be drawn into a complaint or claim. Public Liability cover helps protect you from the financial and legal impact of those situations.
Because complaints can be stressful and seriousIf concerns are raised with authorities such as WorkSafe, Police, or other regulatory bodies relating to your role as an educator, the process can be overwhelming. Statutory Liability insurance helps cover legal defence costs if you need professional representation.
Because you work beyond your front doorEducators take children into the community — parks, libraries, playgroups, walks, and events. Once you are outside your property, your normal home insurance does not protect you for childcare-related incidents involving the public.
Because one incident can be expensiveLegal advice, defence costs, and third-party damage claims can quickly add up — even when you have done nothing intentionally wrong. Insurance helps make sure you are not facing those costs alone. Because being professional means being protectedHaving the right insurance in place is part of working responsibly as a homebased educator. It gives reassurance to you, families, and the Association that you are supported if something unexpected occurs.
Important to rememberHBCA insurance supports you in your role as an educator, but it does not replace your personal home and contents insurance.
HBCA Membership Insurance Cover
- The Home-Based Childcare Association (HBCA) holds a group insurance policy that provides Public Liability and Statutory Liability cover for current financial members.
- These insurances are designed to protect educators in relation to their professional role and responsibilities — they do not replace personal home or contents insurance.
- What Insurance Cover Do Members Receive?
- 1. Public & Products Liability Insurance
- This covers claims made by third parties for personal injury or property damage that occur as a result of your approved homebased childcare activities.
- This means protection where an unexpected incident occurs during your work with children and someone outside your household suffers injury or damage.
- Examples may include:
- A child in your care damages someone else’s property while on an outing (e.g., library, park, or community space)
- A child accidentally causes damage to a member of the public’s vehicle or belongings
- A third party alleges injury or property damage occurred due to an incident connected to your childcare activities
- If a complaint is made to authorities (e.g., Police, WorkSafe, Oranga Tamariki) and legal representation is required in relation to an insured incident, this policy may assist with associated legal defence costs (subject to policy terms).
- 2. Statutory Liability Insurance
- This covers the cost of defending prosecutions brought by regulatory authorities under various New Zealand Acts of Parliament that relate to your role as an educator.
- This includes:
- • Legal defence costs
- •Cover for certain financial penalties or awards
- Important: Fines issued under the Health and Safety at Work Act are not insurable and are excluded.
- This insurance supports educators where an alleged breach of legislation connected to their childcare work is investigated or prosecuted.
- What This Insurance Does NOT Cover
- HBCA insurance does not cover material damage to:
- • Your home
- • Household contents
- • Toys, equipment, or resources you own
- Educators must hold their own home and contents insurance for these items. Material damage insurance is not available through the Association.
- Standard Policy Exclusions
- The policy does not cover claims relating to:
- • Terrorism
- • Electronic data loss
- • Asbestos
- • Building defects or mould
- Sexual Misconduct Exclusion
- There is no cover for any claim arising from actual or alleged sexual abuse, molestation, or related allegations, including claims involving negligent employment, supervision, or retention of a person.
- Communicable Disease Exclusion
- There is no cover for any loss, liability, injury, or cost arising from or related to any communicable disease.
- Cyber Exclusion
- There is no cover for loss, liability, or damage arising from a cyber act, cyber incident, or loss of electronic data.
- Excess
- The standard policy excess is $500, however some specific incidents may carry a higher excess depending on the nature of the claim.
- Using Other Insurance
- If you are covered by another organisation’s public liability insurance, you may choose which policy to claim under. You cannot claim the same incident under multiple policies.
How to make a claim
- 1. Contact the Association in writing as soon as possible
- 2. Provide details of the incident and why a claim may be required
- 3. The Association will forward the information to the insurer
- 4. The insurer will then contact you with the next steps.