Insurance
Foster Carers must inform both home and car insurance companies that they foster. They must have appropriate home insurance and fully comprehensive car insurance with business use for fostering. If the companies impose an extra charge, i.e. for business use, this should be discussed with their Fostering Social Worker.
Where a foster child has caused damage to a foster carer’s property, the carer should initially contact their insurance company. Children’s Services have an insurance policy, which covers foster carers in circumstances where an insurance claim cannot be met.
The following insurance is provided in respect of Foster Carers, including those involved in the Disability Short-Break scheme; those of children under remand from the Court, and lodgings providers registered with Staffordshire County Council and involved in the Supported Lodging Scheme.
Property Insurance
Insurers: Travelers Insurance
Policy Number: UCPOP 398807
Indemnity Limit: £300,000 Buildings / £15,000 Contents any one household
This policy provides cover to all property belonging to persons appointed as foster parents/supported lodgings provider in respect of damage (wilful or otherwise) caused to Foster Carer/Supported Lodgings Provider’s property by the foster child residing with an Insured Foster Parent/Supported Lodging Provider.
It is a contingent policy that would only pay if no other policy is in force or if the policy in existence fails to pay out for some reason.
Carer’s property is defined as follows: ‘Buildings and Contents belonging to an Insured Foster Parent/ Supported Lodging Provider’.
The following is not covered under this policy:
- Theft of money
- Damage to Motor Vehicles (whether being driven or not)
Where such damage or theft has occurred, the foster carer should discuss recompense with the fostering social worker.
The policy is on a reinstatement basis and provides cover on a new for old basis.
The policy would cover Foster Carer/Support Carers/Supported Lodgings Provider’s own children’s property provided this property is within the Carer’s home and forms part of the household’s contents.
The policy is subject to an excess of £100, which will be met by the Fostering Service. Standard policy terms and conditions will apply to this cover, and it should be noted that all claims should be reported to the Insurance Company within 30 days of the loss.
Liability Insurance:
Insurers: QBE Insurance (Europe) Ltd
Policy Number: Y097981QBE0116A
Indemnity Limit: £5,000,000
Excess: nil
This policy indemnifies individual Foster Parents/Support Carers /Supported Lodging Provider approved by Staffordshire County against any claim made by a third party against the Foster Parents/Supported Lodging Provider arising out of the fostering by them of children in care of Staffordshire County Council.
The policy provides retrospective cover for Foster Parents arising out of claims made during the currency of the policy in respect of injury, illness, loss or damage, which occurred, between 1st April 1964 and 16th June 1989 when Policy TP-2A004-0183 was affected.
During this period of cover, the Indemnity Limit was £1,000,000 and not as stated above. Cover for period 16th June 1989 to 30th April 1998 provided under policy TP-02A004-0183 with Indemnity Limit of £1,000,000.
Standard policy terms and conditions will apply to this cover.