The four main risks your business insurance should cover
Make sure your business is protected against these common liability claims
With more than 10,000 people turning 65 every day, demand has never been greater for home care options that allow people to age in place on their terms. In reality, CDC information shows that five million people receive medical services from home care staff.
As a home health aide providing these services in the home, you bear a great responsibility for the well-being of your aging clients. Don’t put yourself in danger. Make sure you have the right risk management and liability services home health care insurance companies to protect you if something happens to your clients while they are in your care.
Worry less about claims and more about care
Home health aides like you provide a variety of services to your clients, from shopping, meal preparation and light housekeeping to helping with bathing, grooming and checking blood pressure arterial.
The diversity of these services is reflected in the top four insurance claims that could happen to you. Fortunately, the right coverages can protect you from costly damages and allow you to focus on the patients in your care.
Prepare for four common complaints from home healthcare companies
1. Slips and falls:
Slips and falls are the most common complaints from home healthcare companies. CDC statistics show that every second of the day, an adult aged 65 or over slips or falls and is injured. Whether it’s slipping on wet surfaces, tripping over uneven surfaces, or falling out of bed, these accidents can happen in an instant and injure fragile customers.
Home health care providers can protect themselves against costly damages with a strong liability insurance plan. Access to risk management services can also help prevent serious injuries.
2. Car accidents:
Motor vehicle accidents are the second largest claim recorded by companion care insurance providers. These accidents occur while driving a client to appointments or while shopping, whether using the client’s car or the carer’s car. They can also occur when caregivers drive from client to client. Working to tight schedules, caregivers may face an increased risk of accidents due to distractions and other hazards. In addition to damage to the car, customers and caregivers can also be injured.
Auto insurance coverage helps ensure that your agency is protected against claims in the event of auto accidents and injuries. Working with an insurance company that offers driver safety services and training is also a plus.
3. Theft of customer property:
Third on the list of claims is employee theft. This usually involves stealing small items or jewelry from the patient’s home. Another common scenario is when the caregiver does not give change for purchases or uses customers’ credit cards for other purposes.
Even more disturbing than the theft could be the customer loss of trustworthy. Home health care providers can use crime and loyalty coverage to protect against damages. Additional benefits offered by some insurance companies include employee screening services and background checks. These can help you ensure that your customers are in good hands when your employees visit.
4. Medication management:
Fourth on the list is mismanagement of medications at home. This is estimated to occur more than 30% of the time between patients and caregivers, according to the Agency for Health Research and Quality.
Errors can occur due to poor communication with the patient or physicians, failure to supervise the client taking medication, or poor administration. The results of this mishandling are harmful, and often fatal. A comprehensive general liability plan for home health aide insurance can protect you against claims for mishandling medications.
Recognizing your main risks can help you find the best insurance options
An insurance company like Philadelphia Insurance Companies (PHLY) offers the insurance coverage you need as a home health care provider and offers services that can help reduce a significant portion of the risks you will face. In fact, PHLY has been protecting home health care providers and independent contractors for nearly two decades and understands the challenges you face.
PHLY has general liability, property, auto, crime and hijacking, D&O, and more, plus umbrella coverage with large deductible limits available. You will also be able to take advantage of a wide range of risk management tools not available elsewhere, including:
● Introduction to Home Health
● Overview of training for home health professionals
● Home health aides Abuse Prevention Training and training on elder abuse and neglect
● Training in fall prevention and wheelchair assistance
● Discounted background checks
In addition, considering the high number of automobile accidents that can occur, PHLY also offers:
● PHLYTRAC GPS Tracking
● Online defensive driver training
● Distracted driving training
● Training on dangerous driving conditions
Most of these tools fall under our SmarterNow training program and are free for policyholders.
As a home health aide, make sure you’re set up for success with the right combination of insurance and risk avoidance. Want to learn more about PHLY’s insurance for home healthcare businesses and risk management services?
Do not hesitate to contact your agent or one of our experts today.